February 16, 2024

On Ash Wednesday this week, we marked our foreheads with ash in the shape of a cross, reminiscent of the crosses of oil that are marked on our foreheads at our baptism. The crosses of ash remind us that in and through and despite all the grittiness of life, we remain wrapped in the love poured on us in baptism. We remember that this is not only true in our lives, but in our deaths. Ash Wednesday is not meant to make us feel bad about ourselves, it is meant to set us free. We are beloved! We get to let the rest go.

I once heard Lent referred to as "Spring Cleaning for the soul" and the image of shaking the cobwebs and clearing some built up clutter has stuck with me. Maybe for you a Spring Cleaning of the Soul means letting go of a habit that currently keeps you from being your fullest self, the person God is calling you to be. Maybe for you a Lenten Spring Cleaning means taking on a new spiritual practice or another form of self care. Maybe it means taking on new acts of kindness toward others. 

Here is some fun Saint Anne's news: this Lent you'll be receiving a weekly email from Saint Anne's Adult Ed crew, with a reflection to ponder. Nothing you need to do - just watch your email for the next five Mondays. The Adult Ed team hopes this ads to your Lenten practices this year. 

I hope you will also consider attending Lenten Wednesdays at Saint Anne's during Lent this year. Our five Wednesdays together are a time of casual conversation over dinner, and beautifully intentional conversations during our break out sessions. All followed by the lovely Holden Evening Prayer. It all begins at 5:45 PM this Wednesday, and YOU are warmly welcome. Details are below.

My prayer for you this week is that however you choose to enter this intentional and reflective season, it feels life-giving. Spring Cleaning is dusty, sometimes messy, sometimes daunting work, but oh, the way the light shines through the windows when it's done with care!