Lent is a time period of the Liturgical Year. It is the 40 days prior to Easter Sunday, not counting Sundays. It represents the 40 days that Christ was in the wilderness after being Baptized and was tempted by the Devil (Matthew 4:1-11). That too is symbolic of the forty years the Hebrews wondered through the dessert (it all ties together).
For us, Ash Wednesday represents the day when we face our mortality and embrace our salvation through Jesus. We come to terms that we are mortal, but we rejoice in the fact that our sins have been declared forgiven through Jesus’ saving actions. We wipe the cross of ashes on our forehead, or hand, to remind us that we came from dust and to dust we will return (Gen. 3:19). It’s symbolic, but it’s also very beautiful.
We hope you join us this year on February 18th at 6 PM for our Ash Wednesday service in the Chapel. It will be a special time for us to start the journey together towards the cross.
