Sin that Easily Distracts – February 14

Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 95 [for the invitatory] & 32, 143; PM Psalm 102, 130
Amos 5:6-15; Heb. 12:1-14; Luke 18:9-14

Today is Ash Wednesday, the first day of the liturgical season of Lent. It is also Valentine's Day. What if this collision of cultural and spiritual observances is actually an opportunity for more beauty in our lives?

In the epistle reading for today, we read from the Letter to the Hebrews. In the twelfth chapter of this sermon addressed to those leading Christians in the very early days of the church, the preacher appeals to the audience, "Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith..." (v. 1-2a)

What a gift of mercy and love we are invited into when we approach Ash Wednesday and the season of Lent as a time to "lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely". This phrase is also translated as "sin that easily distracts". That rings so true with me. The sins that trip me up and weigh me down also easily distract me from the love of God. Sin separates me from the hope of Christ's compassion. Sin interrupts my attempts to trust in the courage of the Holy Spirit.

Let us look to this Ash Wednesday as a space to embrace the freedom of God's love, in which we lay down our sins. We repent of the wrongdoings that cling so closely to us...nearly smothering us with pain, regret, and shame. Today is the day that we lean on Jesus our Savior, who wants to remove those burdens from us. Our hands are heavy and our knees are weak from the sins of our present and our past...and we are yearning to be healed and be held in the hands of our loving God.

As we begin our paths of reconciliation with God and one another, let's listen to the final words of Hebrews 12:14: "Pursue peace with everyone, and the holiness without which no one will see the Lord."

My prayers are with you as we enter this holy time.

 

-- Katherine+

Reflection and Challenge

Pay attention to the things that distract you from love today. Work to put aside those distractions and be present with love for God, yourself, and those dear to your existence today. Then, make note of what felt different – and good – and hard. Hone your goals for tomorrow, with a commitment to presence, rather than distraction.