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The season of Lent begins today with Ash Wednesday.

The Meaning of Ash Wednesday

Ash Wednesday is the first day of the penitential season of "Lent". It is called "Ash Wednesday" because of the ceremony of placing ashes on the forehead as a sign of penitence. This custom, probably introduced by Pope Gregory I, has been universal since the Synod of Benevento (in 1091). Sackcloth and ashes or torn clothes and ashes on the head have signified mourning, especially the mourning of ones own guilt, or ones own loss, since Old Testament times.

The Meaning of Lent

The Lenten season of the church year begins with Ash Wednesday. The name, "Lent," is an old Anglo-Saxon word "Lencten" or "Lenchthen," which means: "the lengthening of the days approaching spring."

During Lent we confess our sins and acknowledge our indebtedness to the Savior. It was due to our sins that God sent the Divine Child to pay the ransom and win our salvation for us. The message of Lent and Ash Wednesday therefore is much more than a time of sadness and remorse, it is a period of humility and thanksgiving for what God has done for us, even as we commit ourselves to living more completely in the Divine Will.

In the observance of Lent, it is traditional that we give up some pleasure, something we enjoy from Ash Wednesday till Easter. It is also a good idea to add some good activity, like reading the Bible more, volunteering at a homeless shelter etc.

There is a period of 46 days from Ash Wednesday until Easter (or the Feast of Christ's Resurrection). Those days consist of six Sundays and 40 days, which comprise the season of Lent. Lent is said to be 40 days long because the six Sundays that occur in this period are not considered to be part of Lent.

Through the observance of Lent we seek to share in some small way in the sufferings of Christ. By doing this, we are reminded each day of Lent what the Savior has done for us.

What should you sacrifice? That depends on you. I would advise however that it be something you know you can do. Saying that you will give up something and then not following through is not good. So be realistic.

By the same token, giving up spinach for Lent when you hate spinach and never eat it anyway trivializes the observance. This should be viewed as something greater than a New Year's resolution. Let this sacrifice be for you a holy sacrifice unto God.

So, be realistic. Sacrifice candy, meat, cigarettes, something you know that you can do without, something which will require some effort on your part, and yet not something that is so difficult for you that you fail before you even begin.

We at Lavender Road MCC like to look toward the positive as much as possible. We have seen enough negatives in our lives, most of us are all too aware of our personal weaknesses and failings. We don't need Romans 3:23 to tell us that we all have sinned and fallen short of God's glory. We are painfully aware of the fact already!

So why do we observe a day like Ash Wednesday and a time like the Lenten season to tell us what we already know?

We do so to remind ourselves during this season of repentance, something we all too often forget! We do so to remind ourselves that despite the claims to the contrary, Jesus Christ gave his very life for the sole purpose of forgiving OUR sins! He gave his life for the sole purpose of saving OUR lives and making it possible for us to commune together, as Parent and child, as Friend to friend! Can you imagine it! You can KNOW it!

Today, we are NOT gathered here in the Santa Cruz Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center to reflect on our failings. NO! We gather here this evening to reflect on God's incredible love for us and gift to us.

You see my friends, scripture assures us that there is no difference between the Jew and Greek, the Baptist and the Catholic, the MCCer and other denominations, the Black and White, the Gay and Straight, the Asian and the Caucasian.... There is NO DIFFERENCE! "For all have sinned and all of us have come short of God's glory."

Maybe you'll say, but John, I know that already! I want to hear something new! Something exciting and gay!

Do you? Do you really understand that if you had been the only person on earth that Jesus still would have come and died to free you? WOW!!! I'd say that's exciting! Jesus didn't die for "the world!" He died for ME! He died for YOU!

But you see, For a long time I didn't know that!

Oh sure, I grew up in a Christian family; I'd heard the words all my life. But deep inside I knew something else too; I knew that that was not the entire story. I just knew that there were some people - people like me! - whom Jesus had not died for! Or if he did, that they - me - were so evil that I made his sufferings worse due to my sins and yet still those sufferings, even his death, couldn't cover the enormity my sins. Have you ever felt this way? Not only unloved but unlovable? Its not a very good feeling!

You see, I KNEW that I was too far gone for God's Grace to reach me: The Church told me that! My pastor told me that; my family told me that; when I was in closet I heard it from my so-called friends as they made their little "fag jokes"; all around me society told me that I was unacceptable, that there was something about me that was just... wrong; and so in time my own heart told me that as well! I bought into the hype!

But you know what?

I was wrong as wrong could be!!!

As I stopped listening to those around me and began to listen to the One within me, and as I began to read the Bible for myself, I found out that God's love extends even to me! To me! Who could believe it? Not everyone still .... but that's OK, 'cause God believes it! And, at long last, I believe it too!

Too bad for the rest of them! They miss blessing after blessing after blessing due to their rejection of God's Lavender people! They have eyes, yet they do not see the magnificent work of Christ in our lives! They don't see the Spirit of God overflowing in the life and ministry of Rev. Elder Troy Perry, the founder of the UFMCC, our denomination. They don't see the Spirit of God at work in the ministries of Marsha Stevens, Chadash Ministries, Rev. Mel White, Rev. Elder Freda Smith, on and on. They have eyes, yet they do not see the depth of God's Amazing Grace! They just don't see the Spirit of God working in our midst.

But we do... if we have eyes to see...

Praise God! We do and we know beyond any doubt that God is in our midst! We know that the Holy Spirit of God is present among us right here in the LGBTQCC right now! We know that God loves US! That God has covered all of our sins by the Blessed sacrifice of Jesus Christ, our Savior.

Well, you might say, yeah, but where does that leave my homosexuality? Its still a sin, right? And aren't we suppose to stop sinning?

But listen, Saint Paul said: "The letter of the Law kills but the Spirit of the Law brings life!" Some people like to use the Bible as a weapon to bash our community. They say God hates us. Others, more tactful, say that homosexuality is just 'another sin,' but a sin nonetheless. They say that if we don't somehow "go straight" God will have nothing to with us, that we will be thrown away by the very God who created us!

And yet, did you know that Jesus never mentioned homosexuality - not even once! Did you know that in Jerusalem and throughout the Roman Empire at that time we were accepted fully as simply another lifestyle or sexual orientation? Its true! And we weren't even considered an "alternative lifestyle"! Some people were straight, some were lgbt. Its just the way people are! Yet Jesus never mentioned it! If homosexuality was the soul damning sin the Religious Wrong tries to make everyone believe it is, surely Jesus would have addressed the subject, yet not a word about it ever crossed his blessed lips as far as we know from the biblical record.

Well yeah, someone might say, but how about the other verses?

Beloved, the Bible nowhere condemns us! In order to use the Bible as weapon of fear and oppression some people will take verses out of context, twisting their meanings to fit their hurtful designs. But when rightly divided, the Bible never condemns us, anymore than it condemned David and his lover Jonathan, Ruth and Naomi, Mary and Martha or the other likely Lavender people in the Bible.

If you would like to understand more on this issue, I invite you speak with Pastor Jean or I after the service. Also, Here at the LGBTQCC we are beginning a series entitled "The Bible and Homosexuality," so be sure and come back next week at 6:30 for part one.

So, this evening, as we gather together here, we do not mourn and lament our sins, we do not beat our backs with whips as some have in the past on this day (unless your into S&M of course). We do not rip our clothes in sorrowful anguish nor cover ourselves in the ashes of the damned.

NO! And why not?

There's a reason.

We don't need to do this, because we have been redeemed! We have been freed! We do not pound our chests in lamentation because our bill has been paid!

Jesus not only invites us to the Table of God's Love, Jesus has already paid the check for the meal! Therefore the only question remaining is, how many helpings do you want?

Did you hear this?

Jesus has already paid the tab! Its a done deal!

And yet there is one condition. We must decide to accept the free gift Jesus offers us. How about you? Everything has been paid for, everything is prepared. The Master offers the finest foods and the most delicate of wines.

Will you accept God's invitation?

And so I ask you tonight, you need not raise your hands, but, have you accepted that invitation? Have you personally trusted Jesus' healing hands and accepted the free gift of salvation? If not, you can do so right now. Simply ask and it will be given. Christ is waiting for you.

(Instructions for The Rite are given):

In a few minutes Alisa will pass little pieces of paper to everyone. On that piece of paper, I'd ask you to write down the things which you wish to sacrifice to God. This can be anything: attitudes, actions, fears, painful memories, etc. No one except Jesus will see what you write, so be honest with yourself and God.

After Community prayer Andrea will collect those small pieces of paper, take them outside and burn them for us. As you place your paper into the container, know that those things written down have been placed into God's loving hands and they need no longer bind you. In Christ we are free!

After this, our combined ashes will be mixed together with the lavender prayer dust of our faith (which is to say, with glitter).

Next, you will be invited to come up to the front one at a time, in couples etc. to receive these holy ashes on your forehead as a sign of your repentance and re-dedication before God.

As is the case with our communion table, you need not be a member of our church or any church to take part in this rite. Jesus turns no one away and neither do we.

As the lavender ashes are applied to your forehead, may they remind you that God has made you from the dust of His earth and that to that dust our bodies will one day return. Everything we have is gift from the One who loves us!

As our ashes are lavender, let your heart give praise and thanksgiving that God has created you just exactly as you are, as a gentle traveler of God's Lavender Highway. You need not change a thing to receive God's free gift. Just say yes to Jesus! Just as you are. Jesus has already said yes to you!

As you prepare your heart to come forward, I invite you to reflect on those areas of your life where you hold pain, resentments or sadness. Those areas where you feel like not even God can forgive you. Also, if there is anyone against whom you hold a grudge this evening, I'd encourage you to let it go. If you need God's forgiveness, ask God for it, knowing that God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins if we will but confess them.

In your mind and in your heart, offer your prayers up to God and allow God's love and healing to come into your heart and mind. Then, as you receive the ashes, know and accept God's forgiveness. Place your cares on Jesus, for truly Jesus loves you and has paid the ultimate price so that you and I don't have to.

Again, This is God's Table and YOU are welcome here.

Together we Bless the ashes with these words:

"In these ashes we see our own prejudices, our fears, our doubts, our lack of love, our failings, our hypocrisy, our greed, our envy, in these we see and acknowledge all of our sins, both as individuals and as a community.
"And yet within these ashes we also see the seeds of our forgiveness as we repent and confess our shortcomings to the God who loves us so. For even in the midst of our sins we know that God accepts us and forgives us and loves us without reservation, unconditionally.

"And so by faith we receive the divine transformation which comes to each of us as God creates within us a clean heart and a right spirit."

"May God create in you a clean heart and put a new and right spirit within you! Be blessed in the Name of the Parent, the Child and the Holy Spirit!"



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