Live In The Light

To-day is Ash Wednesday – the first day of the first of seven weeks of Lent.


The Scripture for today is the story of two men who went to pray, one thanked God that he wasn’t a miserable sinner like other people were. The other man simply said,” Lord have mercy on me a sinner.” Jesus told the story; he said that the second man was more acceptable to God than the first. (Luke 18:9-13)

It is good to hear that we can ask for mercy when we haven’t measured up to God’s standards, and it is comforting to learn that we can face our own shortfalls without panic or denial.
Fear keeps us from recognizing what we already sense; that even our best isn’t good enough. The mercy of God is the prize that lures us past fear. God’s mercy is more than a simple, “It’s O.K. I forgive you” but his joyful welcome of us. Mercy is coming home when you feared that you wouldn’t be well received.

Today you may see people with a smudgy mark on their foreheads. (The ashes). They are saying that they have applied for mercy, and have been assured (by scripture) that God welcomes them.