Roses are red.
Violets are blue.
I’m giving up fast food.
How about you?
As many of you have noted, this year Ash Wednesday falls on February 14th, otherwise known as Valentine’s Day. In case you were curious, this also happened in 2018, but before that, not since 1945. People have strong reactions to Valentine’s Day, ranging from exuberance to disgust, but I suppose people have mixed feelings about the season of Lent, too.
We don’t experience people flocking into church to get the “Lenten feeling” like we do for Advent and Christmas. The concept of confessing our sinfulness, our need for a Savior, and asking for deliverance isn’t as sweet as baby Jesus in the manger and angels singing to shepherds. It’s hard. So hard that many people, even practicing Christians, ignore the season of Lent all together.
Perhaps this describes you. If so, I would offer an alternative view to Ash Wednesday and the season of Lent this year; it’s God’s Valentine’s Day. Instead of celebrating romantic love, celebrate the agape love God offers. Celebrate the fact that the greatest expression of love is to lay down your life for a friend, which is exactly what Jesus did for us. Spend time with God, just like you would a partner, and deepen your relationship. In fact, go “on a date” with God by attending one of our three Ash Wednesday services: 7am, noon or 5:30pm. You have a reservation in the chapel and you can still make it to dinner with your sweetheart.
Elizabeth Virkler Director of Worship, Music and the Arts
P.S. On a different topic, we infused worship education into last Sunday’s worship service. If you missed it or wish to revisit the topic, you can find the information HERE.