Ash Wednesday Sermon

Joel 2:1-2, 12-17, Psalm 103:8-14, 2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:10, Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21

At first glance, today’s gospel reading feels a bit odd. Why are we being told to be wearing of practicing our piety in front of others on the day that we get ashes placed on our forehead? Why is the idea of practicing our faith in secret mentioned so many times on a day where we show our faith outside of these church walls?  Why?

It’s because Jesus is not telling those who first heard these words, or us, that we should not practice piety. He is not telling us to stop praying or fasting or giving alms. Instead Jesus is reminding us to be careful to make sure we are doing these acts for the right reasons. 

We should not give alms so that others think highly of us, but we should give alms for the work of the church or to those in need. We should not pray just so others can see us pray, but we should pray because that is how we can converse with God. We should not fast so that others tell us how great or strong we are, but we should fast from the things that lead us to rely or focus solely on ourselves rather than God. 

Jesus understood what it meant to be human, what it meant to be like us. He lived in the world even though He was not of the world. I say this to remind each of us that Jesus knew and loved people just like us. People who felt busy all of the time. People who loved God. People who sinned. People who tried their best but sometimes struggled. And because Jesus was in the world, God knows what it is like to be human. God knows what our struggles are and what our gifts are. God knows our outward motivations and our inner thoughts.

            Today marks the beginning of the church season of Lent. In this season we are invited to live an intentional life. We are invited to reflect on our need for prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Notice I said need not want or desire. We need prayer, fasting, and almsgiving so that we can more clearly see who God is and who God wants us to be. And as our scriptures remind us, we need to reflect on our motivations for our actions.

So how will you be living an intentional life this Lent? Will you be giving something up or trying to do something new?

If you choose to give something up like sweets or anger or Facebook, remember that these acts of self denial are meaningless if it is done without intention. When we give something up without intention we are easily swayed to give in to that desire because there is no purpose to why we have given it up. It is in those moments of temptation that we need to remember that we are choosing to deny ourselves of something so that we can be drawn deeper into the Lenten season, drawn into a deeper relationship with God. 

If you choose to try something new, be realistic with yourself by adding something to your daily routine or by setting a goal to reach by the end of Lent. For example if you want to try silent meditation as a Lenten practice, don’t try to start with an hour a day. Start with a few minutes a day and work up to an hour by the end of Lent. It is all too easy to get distracted by our daily lives and forget about the new spiritual practice we were trying to add. If this happens, don’t be discouraged, take up the practice again. Trust that God knows that you are trying. Do not let your mind destroy that trust.

 This year my fiancé and I are adding a spiritual practice that I want to share with you all because I think it may be of interest for those who are still looking for a devotion that fits for them. We are going to participate in the program offered by the Society of St. John the Evangelist called Love Life. SSJE is an Episcopal monastic community in Cambridge Massachusetts and for the entire season of Lent, they have produced a series of videos and questions that focus on the message of love found in the gospel that shapes their community, the Gospel of John. They hope that individuals and groups will watch the videos, answer the questions and then share their answers on their website or on social media, using #LoveLife. You can find this series at ssje.org.

However you choose to intentionally live during the season of Lent, remember that this season is about living more fully into our relationship with God. When we place our relationship with God above our own needs or wants we are able to grow and mature into that relationship. As we begin our time of self-reflection and self-discipline, know that you are not alone, but that God will be with you, to lift you up, to fill you up, and to sustain you as you walk your Lenten journey over the next forty days.