Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent, is next Wednesday. If you have not downloaded the Lent 2016 cross from Good Ground Press, do so now. You can begin adding color to the cross by choosing from the activities below. The spaces on the cross are color-coded.
- Plant activities are green
- Simplify activities are yellow
- Pray is purple
- Reading is blue
- Family/Friends are red
- Participate is orange
Here are some suggestions for the first days of Lent. We will add more each week during Lent.
1. Plant Buy a pot of bulbs that only need your care to grow.
2. Simplify Minimize the electricity you use for a day.
3. Pray Find a minute of quiet to let your concerns for others rise to God in prayer.
4. Reading Read the Gospel for Ash Wednesday written below.
5. Family/Friends Make the phone call you have been putting off.
6. Participate Volunteer your energy or your money in some small way.
Ash Wednesday gospel reading
Jesus said to his disciples, “Be on guard against performing religious acts for people to see. Otherwise expect no recompense from your heavenly Father. When you give alms, for example, do not blow a horn before you in synagogues and streets like hypocrites looking for applause. You can be sure of this much, they are already repaid. In giving alms you are not to let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. Keep your deeds of mercy secret, and your Father who sees in secret will repay you.
“When you are praying, do not behave like the hypocrites who love to stand and pray in synagogues or on street corners in order to be noticed. I give you my word, they are already repaid. Whenever you pray, go to your room close your door, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees what no man sees, will repay you.
“When you fast, you are not to look glum as the hypocrites do. They change the appearance of their faces so that others may see they are fasting. I assure you, they are already repaid. When you fast, see to it that you groom your hair and wash your face. In that way no one can see you are fasting but your Father who is hidden; and your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.”
Matthew 6.1-6, 16-18
Keeping Faith Today 