Ash Wednesday

Today is Wednesday the 17 February, Ash Wednesday. 

The choir of Holy Sepulchre London, directed by Peter Asprey, sings ‘Of the Dust of the Ground’. 

Today is Ash Wednesday, the day when Christians set out on the long pilgrimage to Easter. Now in the midst of the pandemic and a cold winter here in the UK, we long for spring and signs of new life. Lent can be a spiritual springtime, a new beginning; a season where we return to the Lord, our first love as we hear now in today’s reading from the prophet Joel:

Joel 2:12-14

Yet even now, says the Lord,
   return to me with all your heart,
with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;
   rend your hearts and ot your clothing.
Return to the Lord, your God,
   for he is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love,
   and relents from punishing.
Who knows whether he will not turn and relent,
   and leave a blessing behind him,
a grain-offering and a drink-offering

“Return to me with all your heart”, says the Lord. Is there anything unexpected in this invitation, do you think? How do you find yourself responding to it?

How do you hear the call to return to God “With fasting, with weeping, and with mourning”?

Do you experience the Lord as “gracious and merciful” as we hear in the passage. Is that how you normally think of God? Does a particular moment of grace and mercy stand out to you from your journey with God?

Now listen as the passage is read once more. Is there an invitation to you here?

At the end of this time of reflection, as the Lenten journey starts, see if you can gather up what you are feeling, and express it all in the form of a prayer to God.

You have given all to me.
To you, Lord, I return it.

Everything is yours; do with it what you will.
Give me only your love and your grace,
that is enough for me.