Hello, friends, and welcome to Next Door Gospel, the podcast where we explore God's presence and movement in our everyday life. I'm your host, Peggy Griffith, and today is a bonus episode. So I released my first podcast episode last week, Wednesday, and as it just so happens, we are entering this week. That is an important season on many church calendars, and that's Ash Wednesday, which is this week, and it starts the season of Lent. That is Lent, L E N T, not L I N T, which is what you clean out of that little trap in your dryer. or for some people they find in their belly buttons. So since this podcast is for everyone, I realized that not everyone has grown up in this tradition or even knows what it is. And some folks grew up. practicing it but they don't really know the why behind it. So I thought it might be fun to talk a little bit about it with you because on Wednesday you may notice some people walking around with smudges on their foreheads and your co workers might announce that they are giving up chocolate for mysterious reasons. And so where I grew up in Kentucky it's also the season where the local churches host their Friday night fish fries and guess what? Now that I live in Wisconsin, we have fish fries like every Friday of the year up here. It's amazing. But there's a lot more to Ash Wednesday and Lent than forehead smudges and fish fillets. So today I'd like to break it all down a little bit for you, whether you've observed Lent your whole life, or maybe you're just curious about those strange ashy marks that you've spotted at the grocery store. So let's dive right in with the basics. What exactly is Ash Wednesday? Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, which is a 40 day period leading up to Easter in the Christian tradition. This year, Ash Wednesday falls this week, on March 5th. And it's called Ash Wednesday because it is usually accompanied by a worship service where priests or ministers place ashes on people's foreheads, usually in the shape of a cross. And they're usually saying something like, remember that you are dust, and to dust you will return. So let's be honest, that's kind of a heavy thing to say to someone in public. Definitely not your typical Wednesday hump day pep talk, but there is deep meaning behind it. Those ashes are typically made from burning the palm branches from the previous year's Palm Sunday. And we'll talk more about the significance of Palm Sunday when we get closer to Easter, but there is this beautiful cyclical nature to it. And the palms, which had represented triumph and celebration. become a reminder of our mortality and our dependence on God. And the dust to dust reminder refers to the creation story of Genesis, where God created humanity starting with dust of the earth. And to the reality that, well, we all eventually return to that state. So Ash Wednesday is essentially a reminder of our mortality. Which sounds depressing, but I have found it strangely liberating, because when you acknowledge that your time is limited, it really can help you focus on what truly matters. Now, if it weren't for copyright rules, I'd queue up Tim McGraw's Live Like You Were Dying song. Because one might say that Ash Wednesday is like the original YOLO, you only live once. Except instead of using it as an excuse to make questionable decisions, it's encouraging thoughtful reflection. It's a time to reflect on your life, acknowledge mistakes, and simply commit to doing and being better. So Ash Wednesday kicks off Lent. What exactly is Lent? Lent represents that 40 days leading up to Easter, and I know you are dying to ask, why 40 days? Well, the number 40 appears throughout the Bible in significant ways. Noah's ark and the flood was for 40 days and 40 nights. The Israelites wandered in the desert for 40 years. And most directly related to the tradition of Lent is that Jesus, upon his baptism by John the Baptist in the River Jordan, right at the start of his ministry, was driven into the wilderness for 40 days. And there, Jesus fasted, and he faced fears and temptation. And I'd like to think it was a time of preparation for Jesus connecting and trusting his heavenly father and coming to terms with who and whose he was. So when we observe Lent, we are following Jesus example by having our own 40 day period of spiritual focus. So let's talk about what actually happens during Lent. There are three traditional pillars of the Lenten observance, and that is prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. So almsgiving, in case you're wondering, is essentially donating to the poor or less fortunate. It's acts of charity and generosity. So the idea is that Lent isn't just about personal spiritual improvement. It's also about helping others and participating in God's work in the world. At my home church, First Church Tosa, we observe a day of service called Saturday Serve, and we will have a number of service activities for people of all ages to participate in. We have groups that do home improvement projects for people in need. We help out at a senior home, make bag lunches, and even make plarn. Have you ever heard of plarn? It's genius. It's a way of weaving together those plastic bags you get from the grocery store and turning them into something productive as a sleeping mat that offers some comfort and ground barrier for homeless individuals. So what about fasting? It doesn't necessarily mean not eating at all. For most people, Lenten fasting means giving up certain foods or activities. Traditionally, it is, um, it's involved in abstaining from meat on Fridays, hence all those fish fry promotions that you see, and sometimes giving up other foods like dairy or eggs. And that, my friends, is why we have Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday, right before Ash Wednesday. It was originally about using up all those ingredients before the fasting period began. And I always find it funny how a practical refrigerator management solution evolved into elaborate parades and celebrations, but that's how traditions often work, don't they? So nowadays, many people choose to give up things beyond food, like social media, streaming services, except the Next Door Gospel Podcast, of course, or other habits that they feel might be distracting them. Uh, from what matters and I know someone who gives up using the elevator at work during lunch. He says, climbing 6 flights of stairs daily gives him time to pray and reminds him of his dependence on God's strength to each their own. I guess. But some people use that time to add space to add something positive to their lives like adding daily prayer, scripture reading, meditation, acts of kindness. So it's not, it's not about deprivation. It's about creating that space for growth and connection. The idea isn't to punish yourself, but to clear away distractions and refocus. I like to think of it as a spiritual spring cleaning for your soul. We deep clean our homes. Why not do the same for our spiritual lives? So, who actually observes Lent these days? Is it just Catholics? Not at all. Roman Catholics do observe it, but so do Eastern Orthodox Christians, Anglicans, Episcopalians, Lutherans, Methodists, Presbyterians, Congregationalists, and other denominations as well. And while the specific practices may vary a little, the core purpose remains similar across those traditions. It's a time of preparation, reflection, and spiritual renewal leading up to Easter. So before we wrap up on this little bonus episode, there are some common misunderstandings about Lent that I've encountered over the years. One is that Lent is about having to give up something you love as some form of self torture. And I do not think that's the case at all. The tradition of giving up something is more about creating space for something better. For example, if you give up doom scrolling through social media for an hour each day, what might you do with that time instead? Connect with loved ones, read, pray. That's really the point. And some people think Lent is only about rules and restrictions, but what if we thought about it as freedom? Freedom from habits that don't serve us well. Freedom to focus on the goodness this life gives. At its heart, Lent is a journey toward Easter, toward celebration, renewal, and hope. It's like hiking up a mountain because you know there's an amazing view at the end. So whether you're observing Lent this year or you're just curious about those people with ash on their foreheads, I hope this has been an enlightening glimpse into this ancient tradition. And if you're thinking about observing Lent yourself but don't know where to start, remember that there's no one right way to do it. You might start small. Maybe giving up one habit that doesn't serve you well and add one practice that might enrich your life. Or you might just use these 40 days to pay more attention to your own life, to the needs of others around you, or even to the changing of the seasons as winter turns into spring. Here at Next Door Gospel, faith isn't something remote or separate from everyday life. It's right here, it's right next door, woven into our daily experiences and relationships. And Lent is one of those beautiful traditions that can bring the sacred right into our ordinary days. So thank you for joining me today. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and share it with a friend. I look forward to talking with you next time. And until then, I wish you glimpses of grace in your everyday moments. And may the Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord lift His face toward you and give you peace. Amen.