Today (Feb 18th) is Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent. A dark bowl of ashes may look stark and depressing. Next to the scriptures and next to our spiritual lives they take on a new meaning.
Why do we put dirty ashes on our foreheads today? It’s not a good luck charm but an outward sign that we’re mortal, fragile and merely pilgrims passing through this world. We take them to remind us that we are part of the creation of God and that we’re also equal in God’s eyes. They are also ashes of hope reminding others that we’re willing to do something positive in our spiritual lives. Lent may be early, we may not be quite ready for it but it has the promise and potential to be a worthwhile journey.
Thought on Wednesday – February – 18/02/2015
Thought For The Week
‘To love and be loved is to feel the sun from both sides.’ ~David Viscott
Some will say that Valentine’s Day is a load of hype and completely built up into something way too big. Despite the commercial side of the day, it is good to set aside at least one day to genuinely show someone we love and care. If you take away all the trimmings around it, you are left with that precious gift called love. Valentine’s Day is not just limited to romantic love. It’s a day that celebrates every moment of love. If we say God is love then every moment of love brings with it an energy and uniqueness that can’t be found anywhere else. It is we ourselves who do our best to limit the effects of love. Life knocks us and hurts us from time to time and we retreat into our hiding places. But love invites us back out of our darkness and uncertainties.
Like many gifts that are given to us each day we tend to take love for granted. But at least Valentine’s Day was one day when we realized just how lucky we are to have love in our lives. It takes a while to build up love but only a second to lose it. You can’t buy it or even sell it. It is up to us to treasure this most precious gift.
Thought For The Week is updated each Monday
