I can't believe it's already Lent! I just put away my Christmas decorations and am still enjoying holiday chocolates, including Valentine's treats. Despite lingering snow, it may not feel like Lent, but after this cold winter, I'm ready for spring and Easter!

Growing up in my UCC home church, Lent was an exciting time for me, with Wednesday services and special meals that started on Ash Wednesday, signaling the beginning of spring and Easter. Many Baptists are unfamiliar with Ash Wednesday and Lent, so I will briefly explain. Established by Pope Gregory in 601 A.D., Ash Wednesday marks the start of Lent, a 40-day season (46 days if Sundays are included) dedicated to prayer, fasting (including abstaining from meat on Fridays), and repentance as Christians prepare for Good Friday and Easter. In some traditions, such as those practiced by my Catholic relatives, people receive ashes on their foreheads as a symbol of mortality, mourning, and sinfulness.

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, a period of repentance that encourages Christians to turn away from sin and embrace the Gospel. The use of ashes signifies grief for sin and humility before God, a practice rooted in the Old Testament. The ashes are typically made from burnt palm branches collected from the previous year's Palm Sunday celebrations. They are blessed and then applied to the forehead in the shape of a cross, symbolizing humanity's need for God, and remind us that we are made of dust and will ultimately return to it.

Pope Francis stated that "Lent comes providentially to reawaken us, to shake us from our lethargy." Sometimes, we all need that push. These days are also an opportunity for reflection. Many people choose to give up certain indulgent foods, such as chocolate, sweets, coffee, caffeine, or alcohol, during this time. Others might abstain from distractions such as television, social media, or shopping to promote spiritual growth. Some people follow what other denominations do during this time or use devotionals or books to guide them through this period. Let us begin Lent on Ash Wednesday by acknowledging our brokenness and our need for conversion—a turning of our hearts toward God as we prepare for Jesus' death and subsequent resurrection.

The current pope, Pope Leo XIV, offers a different take on abstinence: "I would like to invite you to a very practical and frequently unappreciated form of abstinence: that of refraining from words that offend and hurt our neighbor. Let us begin by disarming our language, avoiding harsh words and rash judgment, refraining from slander and speaking ill of those who are not present and cannot defend themselves. Instead, let us strive to measure our words and cultivate kindness and respect in our families, among our friends, at work, on social media, in political debates, in the media, and in Christian communities. In this way, words of hatred will give way to words of hope and peace."

Now, that's something we all can aspire to do! And with God's help, we definitely can make it happen!

Take care, and to quote Linda Soller, "Be Kind!"

Bill R.