Ashes and Valentines

 

February 14^th was an unusual day…one of contemplation, ashes and oil, and also one of celebrations, hearts and sweets. It started with a church service to commemorate Ash Wednesday and the beginning of the observance of Lent.

There were four services offered at church that day. Since Al was going to an early morning men’s group and the first service was to be held following that group, I decided to accompany him.

While his meeting was going on, I walked through the hallways and happened to peek into the empty sanctuary. Well, it was almost empty. An unfamiliar pianist was practicing the songs we would be singing. I recognized some of the hymns: “Just as I am,” “It’s Me, It’s Me O Lord…” and enjoyed the music, feeling like it was a concert for one!

On the wall outside the sanctuary a rack of brochures caught my eye. I found a chair and read one appropriate for the day,  “Lent—A Time to Pray for Others.” The author suggested using the next forty days before Easter to pray, fast and give to a cause that would help someone other than ourselves.

It was thought provoking. I decided to make the focus of this Lenten season the two children we help sponsor, one in Oaxaca, Mexico and the other in Bangalore, India.

The hour sped by and before long it was time for the commencement of the service.  As Al and I settled into our seats, my thoughts turned to God our Creator, and to our own mortality.

“As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust.” (Ps. 103: 13-14 NIV) Dust!  From dust we came and to dust we return!

Certainly, this wasn’t in God’s original plan, was it? In the Biblical account of creation, after He created human beings and His work was completed, God saw that “it was very good!” (Genesis 1:31)

So, what happened to that idyllic creation and the close relationship He shared with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden? Sin. That simple! Satan enticed Eve to disobedience, with Adam following close behind. The result of their sin was that they, as well as every person from that time on, would be estranged from God and would die physically.

 The forty days of Lent provide time to look inward, to confess and repent of sin. Lent helps prepare our hearts for the celebration of Easter—Christ setting us free from bondage to sin once and for all through His death and resurrection.

After receiving an anointing of ash and oil in the shape of the cross upon our foreheads, we greeted each other with  “May the peace of Christ be with you.” And responded by saying, “And also with you.” It was an inspiring service and a time of contemplation.

Later that afternoon there was a  “Día de San Valentín” party with our Spanish class at the Senior Center. I scrubbed the cross off my forehead and put on my pink shirt. Al and I took a small bouquet of flowers for our teacher and a bowl of strawberries for the class to enjoy.

It was a happy celebration, playing Bingo in Spanish after practicing some dialogue and then refreshments, with lots of sweets contributed by the members of the class.

I noticed that a couple of our classmates were wearing ashes on their foreheads. Why had I wanted to scrub mine off? Didn’t want to stand out or look different? Ashamed? Well, that only confirmed the work that needed to be done during the Lenten season!

Al had given me a beautiful bouquet of flowers for Valentine’s Day. With the centerpiece of flowers on the table, we enjoyed dinner that evening, appreciating the love we have shared for each other over 41 years of marriage.

Was there a common thread running through that day of contrasts? Yes… it was love! Ash Wednesday—God’s love for us. Valentine’s Day—celebrating love. And dinner—reconfirming our love for each other. Praise the Lord!

 

“You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:4-8 NIV