Ash Wednesday had three very different impacts this year:
(1) The community was split into different groups, as we often are at major Festivals.
It is sad that we are apart, but we do connect with the wider Christian community, and all of us seemed to have some liturgical role last night, from music, to ashes giving, to liturgy preparation.
(2) I had a phone call from a friend of the community asking what I knew about eating Kosher food. After bring stumped, she revealed that she was keen to give something up for Lent and thought that might be a way to go. We had a marvellous chat about how Lent should be a time of taking up (more prayer, balance, exercise) and making space for God in a realignment sense, rather than giving up in an arbitrary way (like chocolate). It was a Kairos moment, and I hope that I helped!
(3) Both with my class, and the St Philips community, we celebrated the beginning of Lent with ashes, silence, and song. It was amazing to see all of my kids, some Protestant, some no faith, two catholic, come forward and receive crosses and pray for each other. In the evening, the prayer of the people was powerful, the lighting of candles and Taize Chants awesome. God was truly present!
I hope your Ash Wednesday was as full of Depth as ours!
