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Pax et Bonum The Online worship resource for St. James Parish Dust and ashes we may be,
But in Christ, that need not be a dead end. (From Forward, Day by Day)
Beatific Ash Wednesday
Ash Wednesday is a day to remember our mortality – not in a morbid sense, but in an understanding that all belongs to God – both the dust of the earth and the human being. When our bodies return to dust, our souls soar with God and that, like the life we know, is good. This year, our Lenten Series focuses on Reclaiming the Sabbath. Suzanne Zantop, one of the chairs of the Christian Formation Community, has written meditations for each week that can be found in a booklet you will receive in your home, or that you can pick up at the church. These are resources you can use at home to rediscover the meaning of the Sabbath, a word that means to cease, to end, to rest. The Sabbath in Jewish understanding isn’t a time of strict and uptight observance, but a day of joy in which all the weekly concerns are put aside in order to give place to something of higher purpose – time. Time with God, and with family. It is a time for renewal. Our lives are chaotic. What can we do to recover Sabbath so that we can be whole? We hope to give you much to think about in both the booklets, and in our Lenten Series that begins next Wednesday evening. In the Pax, we will be reflecting on the meaning of Sabbath as an ongoing Lenten Journey. I hope it is of value to you. I, too, hope to have a better understanding of that renewing time, when we are through.
What hard travail God does in death!
Daily Morning Prayer: This Week at St. James:
Wednesday: 8pm Ash Wednesday Liturgy Prayers Etc.
Sweet Jesus,
For those on our prayer list: In Closing:
In this moment of silent communion with Thee,
Pax et Bonum, |
Today marks the official beginning of Lent, a forty day journey of thoughtful prayer and spiritual discipline. This period was the original catechumenate – a time when those about to be baptized (adults) entered into a period of preparation for what was then a life-changing event. While some things about the way we view the sacrament of baptism have changed, we still retain this time of penitence, which is a good thing. Most of us are tied to our calendars; if something isn’t on the calendar, it doesn’t get done. The same can be said for periods of spiritual enrichment, and for church seasons; if they are not planned, its very possible we will forget to honor them.