Book: 2 Corinthians

Jesus said, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31). This is what Ash Wednesday is all about: telling the Truth to the LORD – having the courage to tell the LORD what he knows we really are. In doing so, we put down our masks, and come to the realization that Christ really and truly loves us.

Much has been said about the parable of the prodigal son, but the end of so many who teach this passage is to read themselves into the text and ask “which son are you?” While there is nothing inherently bad about this type of reading, the point of the passage goes much deeper than that. The Rector explains how this parable challenges us to be better ambassadors for Christ.

When we give our attention to worthless things, we are robbing God of that same attention. Not that God needs our attention, but that we abandon His ways, and we allow our relationship with Him to wither. We give our attention to that which we value most at that moment in time. Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

For those who live in the United States, the ingredients of worldly happiness are right there in front of us. Almost anything we want can be ordered online and arrive at our doorstep in two days or less. We have access to all of humanity’s knowledge and information on our laps and in our pockets. And social media provides us a limitless release of dopamine and an endless supply of ideals to chase after. Ironically, none of these riches make us any happier. The more stuff we get, the more stuff we desire. So where is true happiness to be found?

Life does not always take us in the direction we would ever ask or imagine. But God’s ways are not our ways, and His thoughts are not our thoughts. When we know God’s sovereignty and love to be true, we take comfort, but we can still sometimes hurt. If we therefore love and have been loved, throughout all the trials of life, then in Christ Jesus we have all we need.

God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Nothing that happens in the world surprises Him! When we are calm, when we continue to say our prayers, we set an example of perseverance and faith for others to follow.

Ash Wednesday begins the Christian season of Lent, a 40-day journey of reflection, penitence, and self-discipline, leading up to Holy Week and Easter. If we don’t properly examine ourselves, we will not grow spiritually during this or any season. Watch as Elder Nathan explains how we can prepare for Lent with self-examination.