Ash Wednesday

My journey through the church calendar has been slow. That is, I took quite a break. That's too bad, too, because I missed much of the Epiphany season and the beginning of the Lenten season. Well, I'm back now.

Ash Wednesday was actually more than a week ago now. Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, which is the season in which Christians prepare their hearts for Holy Week, which includes Good Friday and Easter. Lent is to Easter as Advent is to Christmas. The difference is that Advent is a time of joyous preparation and anticipation, whereas Lent is a time of more solemn meditation as we contemplate the agonizing sacrifice that Jesus made by allowing Himself to be crucified for us.

This is a prayer that many people pray on Ash Wednesday:

Almighty and ever-living God, you hate nothing you have made and you forgive the sins of all who are penitent. Create in us new and honest hearts, so that, truly repenting of our sins, we may obtain from you, the God of all mercy, full pardon and forgiveness; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Suggested readings:

Psalm 51:1-13

Joel 2:12-19

2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:2

Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21

Epiphany

O Christ, our true and only light,

Illumine those who sit in night;

Let those afar now hear Thy voice,

And in Thy fold with us rejoice.

Fill with the radiance of Thy grace

The souls now lost in error's maze,

And all whom in their secret minds

Some dark delusion haunts and blinds.

And all who else have strayed from Thee,

O gently seek! Thy healing be

To every wounded conscience given,

And let them also share Thy heaven.

O make the dear to hear Thy word,

And teach the dumb to speak, dear Lord,

Who dare not yet the faith avow,

Though secretly they hold it now.

Shine on the darkened and the cold,

Recall the wanderers from Thy fold,

Unite all those who walk apart,

Confirm the weak and doubting heart.

So they with us may evermore

Such grace with wondering thanks adore,

And endless praise to Thee be given

By all Thy Church in earth and heaven.

--J. Heermann, 1630.

A word about Epiphany

Epiphany celebrates the light of God given to the world through Jesus. There is some variation in the way the date is scheduled. Many celebrate it on January 6, twelve days after Christmas, while others observe it on the first Sunday after New Year's. This year those two methods coincided. Some Christians observe Epiphany as a day to commemorate Jesus' visit from the Magi, while still other Christians choose to reflect on Jesus' baptism.

The church calendar is not Scripturally mandated; it is a man-made, man-conceived tool purposed to strengthen the Church body. Keeping that in mind, it is obvious that there is not a right or wrong way to reflect on Scripture during any given season. Observing the church calendar is not an obligation of being a Christian. It's just a tool. If you find it to be a helpful tool, great. If not, don't follow it. That's what I think anyway.

You can read more about Epiphany here.