Ash Wednesday

Good morning sisters and brothers,
Today is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the reflective season of Lent. Seasons in the church year are great opportunities to renew our focus on our faith and discipleship. At Laurelton we're kicking off the season with two reflective (and short) worship services and a 24 hour prayer vigil. The first service and the vigil starts at noon today in the sanctuary, and the second service begins at 6:40. Folks will be taking hour-long "shifts" to pray. Feel free to come by whenever, and to pray for whatever is on your heart. I'll be at the church the whole time so you never have to be alone.

Today's reading is a good reminder for Lent, when it's traditional (and still often useful) to fast as part of our spiritual preparation. God tells the people that denying themselves isn't any good if they use it as an excuse to be cranky or to show off their devotion. The point of fasting and worship is to come closer and glorify God. All our devotion is meaningless if it doesn't lead us to work for justice for those in need. We can't praise God and ignore our neighbor.

God bless,
Sam

Isaiah 58:1-12

¹   Shout out, do not hold back!
          Lift up your voice like a trumpet!
     Announce to my people their rebellion,
          to the house of Jacob their sins.
²   Yet day after day they seek me
          and delight to know my ways,
     as if they were a nation that practiced righteousness
          and did not forsake the ordinance of their God;
     they ask of me righteous judgments,
          they delight to draw near to God.
³   “Why do we fast, but you do not see?
          Why humble ourselves, but you do not notice?”
     Look, you serve your own interest on your fast day,
          and oppress all your workers.
⁴   Look, you fast only to quarrel and to fight
          and to strike with a wicked fist.
     Such fasting as you do today
          will not make your voice heard on high.
⁵   Is such the fast that I choose,
          a day to humble oneself?
     Is it to bow down the head like a bulrush,
          and to lie in sackcloth and ashes?
     Will you call this a fast,
          a day acceptable to the LORD?

⁶   Is not this the fast that I choose:
          to loose the bonds of injustice,
          to undo the thongs of the yoke,
     to let the oppressed go free,
          and to break every yoke?
⁷   Is it not to share your bread with the hungry,
          and bring the homeless poor into your house;
     when you see the naked, to cover them,
          and not to hide yourself from your own kin?
⁸   Then your light shall break forth like the dawn,
          and your healing shall spring up quickly;
     your vindicator shall go before you,
          the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.
⁹   Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer;
          you shall cry for help, and he will say, Here I am.

     If you remove the yoke from among you,
          the pointing of the finger, the speaking of evil,
¹⁰  if you offer your food to the hungry
          and satisfy the needs of the afflicted,
     then your light shall rise in the darkness
          and your gloom be like the noonday.
¹¹  The LORD will guide you continually,
          and satisfy your needs in parched places,
          and make your bones strong;
     and you shall be like a watered garden,
          like a spring of water,
          whose waters never fail.
¹²  Your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt;
          you shall raise up the foundations of many generations;
     you shall be called the repairer of the breach,
          the restorer of streets to live in.