Ash Wednesday, February 14, 2024
Valentine’s Day
(click here to listen to or read today’s scriptures)
And now the forty days begin
Even now, says the Lord, return to me with your whole heart.
I take comfort in the words “even now.”
Don’t you? We are called over and over to the side of the shepherd, we the sheep of his pasture, who have no clue sometimes that we are those sheep, and who behave badly as often as we behave well.
Or far more often. If being silent in the face of evil is a sin, which it is, then my sins have built up more and more over the years. Forgive me, Lord. Even now.
If sitting still in the face of injustice is a sin, which it is, then my sitting far outnumbers my standing up. Forgive me, Lord. Even now.
And he does. But he does not settle for me being just deaf and dumb after that. God calls me out.
Fast, weep, mourn, rend your hearts and return to me. Blow the trumpet in Zion, call an assembly, gather the people, notify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children.
On this quiet day across the world, the bells ring and the priests stand at the doors, welcoming, welcoming, watching car doors open for men, women and their children, sometimes at 6 am, sometimes at noon, sometimes as the evening comes. All of us know it’s Valentine’s Day today, but we also know how close God is, as near as the ashes on our foreheads, as near as the songs in our hearts and on our lips, so near.
So near.
Even now.
Let’s do it the old school way.
Remake the Super Bowl’s beer commercial and know that even now, if the power goes out and there is no gasoline, if the snows bury the highway and beckon us back to bed, we can hitch up the Clydesdales and fill the wagon with our family, and then the family next door, and then another, and we WILL get to church today, to be welcomed by the priest and by Jesus.
Take a load off Fanny.
Behold, He stands at the door and knocks. We open the door and stretch out our arms. The glory of the Lord shines all around.
Let the ministers of the Lord weep and say, “Spare, O Lord, your people! Why should others say, “Where is your God?”
Because you are here and you call us to you. We come, and we sing, and we stand up against injustice, and we are your children. Always have been, always will be.
Then the Lord was stirred to concern for his land and took pity on his people.
(Joel 2, Psalm 51, 2 Corinthians 5-6, Psalm 95, Matthew 6)
(posted at www.davesandel.net)
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