Sermon and Divine Service for Ash Wednesday

Ash Wednesday Divine Service
  

Ash Wednesday

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer. Amen. 

The reason we receive ashes on Ash Wednesday is because this is a season of repentance and renewal. In line with Biblical practices, by both our words and our actions, we are confessing to God and to one another that we recognize that we are NOT okay. We are sinners. We are sinners who are deeply grateful that from the cross our Lord Jesus Christ has conferred His righteousness and forgiveness upon us and has sacrificed Himself for our salvation. At the same time, in response to our Lord’s love for us, we want to grow and mature into the righteousness that Christ Jesus envisions for us. During this season of spiritual disciplines, we humble ourselves so that the Holy Spirit can continue to change us and renew us. 

We recognize the truth of what Fulton Sheen says: 

“When we die to something, something comes alive within us. If we die to self, charity comes alive; if we die to pride, service comes alive; if we die to lust, reverence for personality comes alive; if we die to anger, love comes alive. (Fulton J. Sheen, Touchstone Magazine, Commonplaces, page 9 in March/April 2025 edition)

These ashes are a symbol of our desire to repent, to change our minds, to amend our habits, to die to our sin, so that God’s goodness, God’s love, God’s fruits, beginning with His forgiveness, become even more manifest in our lives. We will never reach a state of perfection in this lifetime, but we can stop resisting God’s efforts to prepare us for eternal life in His presence. As we prepare to enter again into the Good News of Jesus, who is born for us, dies for us, and rises for us, and promises to come again for us, we confess that we are unworthy of His grace, but so very thankful that He extends His kindness to us. Please, dear Lord, help us.

The peace of God which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.


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