Ash Wednesday, February 25
Joel 2:12-18. Yet even now, says the Lord, return to me with your whole heart, with fasting, and weeping, and mourning; rend your hearts, not your garments…For gracious and merciful is God, slow to anger, rich in kindness…Blow the trumpet in Zion! proclaim a fast, call an assembly; gather the people, notify the congregation; assemble the elders, gather the children…
| Many of us
struggle with two lives, one private and one public. We may think/believe/feel
one way and act in another way for the sake of ease, safety, confusion, or other
reasons. The first part of this text describes a private relationship with faith.
It reminds me that faith begins with dedication of the heart and grows with personal
practice. The second part shows the power of public demonstrations of faith.
After each person, regardless of age or gender, finds peace in their private
relationship with faith they can share that heartfelt belief and gain the
strength of a community. Consider what is private and what is public, and
what could be gained by living one life. - Sabrina Checkai, Faculty Services, Administrative Assistant to Natural Science Department |