My Corner Online

 

Ash Wednesday

 

*written Feb 21, 2007
Today's Ash Wednesday forecast:

Today: Partly cloudy and mild. Highs should range from about 57 north to about 64 south. Winds NW 5-10 this morning becoming SW this afternoon.


Goodness, the weather is so nice this week, reaching into the 60's. The sun is shining right now.

This weather always makes me begin to purge my freezer and shelves of winter meals. For instance, I am one who will not make chili in warm weather. Yesterday's dinner was that chick'n dumplings in the crock pot.

This got me thinking about how purging might be applicable in my spiritual life.

The definition of purge is to "to rid of whatever is impure or undesirable; cleanse; purify."

Of course, my cold days meal planning is not "impure," it is just becoming more undesirable as the weather warms up.

I looked up "purge" in the Bible and all instances of the word are in the Old Testament relating to "purge the evil among you." I thought it interesting that the word did not occur in the New Testament. Why is that? I would think that it is because Jesus Christ (in the New Testament) came into the world and died on the cross to purge all of our sins. I never thought of His Grace in this way, using the word "purge." Interesting. I kind of like the word. I thank God for getting rid of whatever is impure and undesirable in me by washing me clean through Baptism and forgiveness of sins.

On Ash Wednesday we have the Imposition of Ashes to remind us that "dust you are, and to dust you shall return” (Gen. 3:19). We enter the season of Lent for six weeks of prayer and repentance until we celebrate the risen Lord on Easter morning. I have always found this rather odd. Not bad, just odd. For me, Ash Wednesday, Lent, and Easter are celebrated, all three, on a daily basis. Why spread it out over six weeks?

Copyright Cheryl Rutledge-Brennecke
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