Nicole’s e-Pistle “Ash Wednesday”

February 18, 2026

Greetings, friends, and happy first day of Lent!

Today is Ash Wednesday, the day on which we confess our sin and prepare to embark on a 40-day journey toward the cross. It is a day to remember that we have all sinned and fallen short of God’s glory. It is a time to repent and return to our loving creator once more.

Oddly enough, Ash Wednesday was not a legacy of the Early Church. Rather, it was a practice that began in the medieval period, when penitent sinners were presented for church discipline during the season of Lent, to be reconciled with the community of faith on Maundy Thursday. It was also a time for prospective converts to  enroll in the catechumenate (a fancy word to mean a time of preparation and study before being baptized into the Catholic faith). Finally, Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the Lenten season of fasting.

This evening, we will impose ashes on our foreheads, signifying that we come from dust and to dust we will return. Some of us will decide to fast in some way, giving up something we enjoy leaving space to become closer to God. Some of us will commit to praying more often. Some of us will begin saving our pocket change to give to our One Great Hour of Sharing… which starts today after all! The kids can break out those fish and continue to collect change throughout Lent until we bring forward our offerings on Easter Sunday.

Some of us will also choose to follow the devotional series written by Teri McDowell Ott entitled, “Discipleship in a Divided Age: A Lenten Journey through Matthew’s Gospel.” Each week offers an opportunity to meditate on a passage of scripture, pray, and occasionally practice “visio divinia,” or “divine seeing” – a spiritual practice that invites us to experience God through visual art. Please take a printed copy from the table in the Commons or check the Midweek News on Wednesdays for the following week’s segment.

Whatever you choose to do to celebrate this Lenten season, I hope you will take time to care for yourself in body and spirit. Take time to meditate and/or pray. Go for walks or enjoy some time outside as the weather permits. Try to limit your exposure to the things that cloud your heart and mind, and give more attention to what brings you life and hope. I look forward to walking this journey with all of you!

Blessings and peace,