Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Remember

"God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood." -- Romans 3:25a

Today is Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. We have started the journey toward Easter and the resurrection of Jesus. We are blessed because we know the ending that comes after this time of sorrow and penitence.


We are all sinners. All of us. No one gets a bye because he views his sins as less than those of someone else. Sin is sin, whether it's a white lie or murder. Feel free to squirm or get huffy. It won't change anything but it might make you feel better.


Lent is the 40 days -- not counting Sundays -- that leads to Easter. We don't count Sundays because Jesus rose on a Sunday. Before Jesus began His ministry He spent 40 days in the wilderness being tempted by Satan. He prepared Himself for His journey. In Lent, we are called to prepare ourselves to draw closer to God.

Traditionally, Lent is a time of prayer, penitence, almsgiving and self-denial. We use this time to rededicate ourselves to God. We seek to grow as Christians and simplify a complicated life. It's sort of like spring cleaning our souls.

So what are you doing during this time of reflection? Are you devoting extra time to pray and study God's word? Are you making changes in your life and attitude so that your actions become more in line with God's plan? Are you actively helping others who are less fortunate?

God gave His only Son for us. During this time of reflection it is important to remember the price that Jesus paid when He redeemed us with His death.