Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent.
For this Lenten season, Morning Grace will be sharing the collected works of Spring-Ford Churches in Action - the ecumenical ministerium of some of our churches in Royersford and Spring City. Several writers will be sharing these reflections, including myself. Each reflection will indicate the author and which church they are from, as well as the translation they are using.
(as such, not all of these devotions may represent my personal theology).
During this season there will be devotions from Monday through Saturday, with occasional media devotions on Sundays. I hope you find these a meaningful addition to your Lenten journey.
Ash Wednesday, March 5, 2025
Isaiah 58:1-9, NRSVUE
Shout out; do not hold back! Lift up your voice like a trumpet! Announce to my people their rebellion, to the house of Jacob their sins. Yet day after day they seek me and delight to know my ways, as if they were a nation that practiced righteousness and did not forsake the ordinance of their God; they ask of me righteous judgments; they want God on their side. “Why do we fast, but you do not see? Why humble ourselves, but you do not notice?” Look, you serve your own interest on your fast day and oppress all your workers. You fast only to quarrel and to fight and to strike with a wicked fist. Such fasting as you do today will not make your voice heard on high. Is such the fast that I choose, a day to humble oneself? Is it to bow down the head like a bulrush and to lie in sackcloth and ashes? Will you call this a fast, a day acceptable to the Lord? Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover them and not to hide yourself from your own kin? Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up quickly; your vindicator shall go before you; the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry for help, and he will say, “Here I am.”
Reflection
Deacon Allison Wilcox, Grace Lutheran Church Royersford
I sort of remember the first time as a kid that I decided to give something up for Lent. It was chocolate, of course. I don’t remember how old I was at the time, but I do remember how hard it was. I also remember being grateful that I wasn’t one of my Catholic friends who seemed to be giving up way more than I was!
Of course, I also remember bragging to those same Catholic friends that we Lutherans could fast too - it wasn’t just their thing.
That’s what the people of Judah seem to be doing: bragging about how well they are fasting and wanting God to notice just how well they are doing it. “Hey God! Notice me! Look at me struggling so hard by not eating my lamb dinner! Aren’t you paying attention?”
But it turns out that they were the ones not noticing - not noticing the hungry, the homeless, the naked, the oppressed. God wasn’t interested in their lamb dinners. God was interested in their noticing those on the margins who needed them.
As we begin Lent this Ash Wednesday, rather than giving something up, who is it that you can notice? What service can you give to one who is needs your presence? Your help? Your time? Your compassion? Your love?
Holy One, open my eyes so that I may see my siblings in need. Let my fast be from selfishness and pride, and may my arms be open wide to serve them. Amen.
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