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All those days
you felt like dust,
like dirt,
as if all you had to do
was turn your face
toward the wind
and be scattered
to the four corners
 
or swept away
by the smallest breath
as insubstantial—
 
did you not know
what the Holy One
can do with dust?
 
Blessing the Dust, For Ash Wednesday
Jan Richardson

Let us observe a holy Lent
This year, Ash Wednesday falls on March 2 and marks the beginning of the season of Lent - a time of penitence, prayer, and preparation for the feast of Easter.
 
On Ash Wednesday, we gather to be marked by the dust from which we came, to repent and be reminded of our condition, and to remember what our holy God can do with dust. From it, he creates our bodies and into it, he breathes his spirit.
 
During Lent, we make a meager offering of our dust to the Lord and quietly anticipate what he will do with it.  May he take your dust this Lent, forming and filling it, reshaping it for his glory, and preparing it for the resurrection.
Pray
Almighty and everlasting God, you hate nothing you have made and forgive the sins of all who are penitent: Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of you, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Collect for Ash Wednesday, Book of Common Prayer
Sing
 
White as Snow
Jon Foreman
 
listen
Pray, Fast, Give
Prayer, fasting, and almsgiving are considered the “three pillars” of Lent. These are taken from Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount and his three “When you…” statements:
 
“When you give to the needy…” (Matthew 6:2)
“When you pray…” (Matthew 6:5)
“When you fast…” (Matthew 6:16)
 
These three practices are considered symbols of restored relationship…
…with God (prayer) – we can freely enter God’s presence and seek to be in ceaseless communication with him
…with man (almsgiving) – we are free to put the needs of others ahead our ourselves
…and with self (fasting) – we are not mastered by our appetites and desires
 
Lent is not about giving up as much as it is about making space for God to fill you up. These disciplines need not be overly complicated nor should they be miserable. You can fast by:
 
- Abstaining totally from something (no alcohol, no meat, no IG)
- Reducing the amount of something (time spent on social media, quantity of food consumed, etc.)
- Swapping one thing for a more edifying thing (instead of binging true crime podcasts, perhaps listen to an excellent Bible study / sermon podcast during Lent)
 
Often, Prayer and Almsgiving naturally flow from fasting (i.e. - spend your newfound free time in prayer or your newly saved money in giving additionally to your church or another ministry.) 
And don't forget: Sundays are always a feast day. No fasting allowed! (Lest you think this is cheating, the 40 days of Lent exclude Sundays in the counting!)
 
May the Lord grant you a holy Lent.
 
Bonus
There are so many wonderful resources to help guide your Lenten season. Here are a few of my favorites:
 
Opening Poem
Read the full text of Jan Richardson's Blessing the Dust
ReaD
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