Ash Wednesday!
Prayer
I
Cor. 13:1-13
First Movement:
I
thought as I prepared this, in 37 years of pastoral ministry, I recollect that Ash
Wednesday has only fallen on Valentine’s Day one other time that I remember,
and that was in 2018. Now, as I research,
I learn that it hasn’t happened prior to
2018 since 1940 something; it has only happened twice in my lifetime! What do you do when Valentine’s Day falls on
Ash Wednesday? How do you reconcile a
day celebrating love and romance with one of sacrifice and somber repentance?
Second Movement:
Let’s look at a
little history.
“Stories of the origin of St. Valentine’s Day frequently include
accounts of the martyrdom of a priest named Valentinus or Valentine. Roman
emperor Claudius II had nullified engagements and banned new marriages in order
to increase the size of his army. Valentine defied the ban and continued
marrying couples until he was discovered and killed on Feb. 14, 270 A.D.
Another priest, also named Valentine, was also martyred on Feb.
14, in a different year for helping imprisoned Christians. In some traditions,
he may have healed his jailer’s daughter before being martyred. In others, he
and the jailer’s daughter fell in love — before he was executed. In any case,
the idea of risk and martyrdom for the sake of honorable love replaced a more
ancient Roman festival with a new name, purpose and a feast day on the church
calendar.
Centuries later, Chaucer and Shakespeare romanticized St.
Valentine’s Day. Sweethearts began exchanging love notes on Feb. 14, in
medieval times.”[i]
Ash
Wednesday is about remembering our sins that caused Christ to have to die. It is about sacrificing something to draw
closer to God because of God’s sacrificial love for us. It is about sacrificial love!
Third Movement:
Our scripture
tonight, is about love, a love that never fails. God’s love never fails; it is always there
for us, but sometimes our love fails.
This scripture describes love perfectly.
I can preach, I can do all kinds of works, but if I have not love, I am nothing!
Love is patient! How many of us
lack patience? Love is kind! How many of us are always kind? Love is not envious, boastful, or
arrogant! How many of us are boastful or
envious or arrogant? Love is not
rude! Wow, how many have never been
rude? Love doesn’t always want its own
way! How are you scoring so far? Love is not irritable or resentful!
On
the other hand, Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things,
endures all things! These are all
positive ways to respond! These all
respresent being a light shining in the darkness! How many of us are always that? How did you score?
Traditionally
during Lent, which begins today and includes the 40 days between now and Easter
(not counting Sundays which are always little celebrations of the
resurrection), people do without something or add something to their practices
so that they can draw closer to God, so that they can grow in love. It is about sacrificial love of our time for
one who has sacrificed so much for us!
On Ash Wednesday, we realize our need of forgiveness and our need to
draw closer to God through this time of Lent.
As you are marked with the sign of the cross tonight, remember the
sacrificial love of God as God went all the way to the cross for you! Remember how far short we fall of what we
should be and how far short we fall of that love, and commit during Lent,
because of your love for God and people, to make some sacrifices yourself to
draw closer to God and to draw closer to what you should be in service of God
in the world. Amen!
[i] “Love and Repentance: When
Ash Wednesday Falls on Valentine’s Day” by Polly House; www.umcom.org
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