A MULTI-COLORED LIFE

Lent begins with ashes - on one level a reminder of the way our best intentions
sometimes flame out with little to show for them. A reminder that we aren't God
- that we are limited beings who need one another, that we have a beginning and
an end: "All of us go down to the dust, but even at the grave we make our song.
Alleluia!"

But even if we begin with this important reminder, we do so as a way to finding the new life Easter proclaims and to reinvesting in the richness that we already have. So the ashes of Wednesday quickly give way to the rainbow of Sunday (Genesis 9). And what a great day for a rainbow as we welcome our friends from Bridge Ministry!

The rainbow is, in fact, a great image for the Lenten journey for us. If we begin with the blackness of Ash Wednesday, it is perhaps simply to recall that black contains all the colors of the rainbow. So with each week of Lent, we can pull these colors out, attending to what they have to teach us about the practices of a faithful community as we move toward the bright white of Easter and its promises for full life.

Here are some of the practices we will explore over the coming weeks:

• Sustainability
• Discernment
• Hospitality
• Connectivity
• Spaciousness
• Journey

What other practices come to mind for you as you reflect on your own walk with God in the community of faith and in your daily life? What might God be revealing to you as you take time to live intentionally and thoughtfully that will be ultimately life giving?