Why Come to Church Tonight (Ash Wednesday) and this Sunday, February 26

Meditation Text: “Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God… [Mark 1:14)”

Happy Ash Wednesday.

Biblical scholar Walter Brueggemann believes that even though the majority of people in the United States say they are Christian, many are implicit atheists. He reflects that the “prevalant American predilection for an “irrelevant transcendence” and “cozy immanence” are “pet gods of our culture,” which circumscribe God. God cannot be contained in human thought.

Yet, God is close to us and all creation, even living within our deepest selves! That’s the good news of God, which Jesus preached.

Traditionally Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are days of fasting from meat; with a simpler diet during the day, we are reminded of those who have little and suffer from poverty. It is they who need our help. It is they of which we want to be mindful enough to actually help during Lent. Tonight, our service at Ascension is at 7:00 p.m, with sermon, Holy Communion, and imposition of ashes.

I hope that you are able to take today to reflect on the meaning of Lent, your own life’s pilgrimage to more deeply knowing and loving God and God’s good news of healing, justice, and eternal love.