Blessed Ash Wednesday! Today we begin our Lenten journey for 2020. Whatever you have chosen to do or give up (or a combination thereof), I pray that this will be a fruitful Lent for you.
In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 6, we hear Jesus talking about the three pillars of Lent - almsgiving, prayer and fasting. Remember, today is a day of fast and abstinence. You can find the rules for fasting and abstinence here. Lent is a great time to stretch yourself, spiritually and physically.
Upon receiving ashes on one's forehead, you'll hear one of two things today. "Repent, and believe in the Gospel" or "Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return." This is a wonderful reminder of our smallness. God created us from nothing, out of his great love for us. When all is said and done, only our spirit will remain, and it will be spent in eternity. The question is where? Lent is a great time to help us prepare to spend eternity with God.
Father, may our Lenten practices bring us closer to you. Help us unite our small sufferings with the sufferings of Christ. Amen.
Spiritual reading is an excellent Lenten practice. Find great material at www.GusLloyd.com today.
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