18/02/2026
Ash Wednesday - What is it and why do we celebrate it?
Salvation is not by works but by grace through faith. However Isaiah teaches us that when someone is saved and born again, they rejoice in the Lord in good times and in bad times because he/she knows who their saviour is. Someone with faith that is solid and withstands trials understands that during the period of lent, we are called back to God to he able to better our relationship and fellowship with him. During this period of lent God is calling us to renew our faith with him by entering into a period of silence and fasting to remember who we are and what we need God for without the distraction of the outside world. Isaiah tells us in chapter 58 that there is nothing wrong with fasting but we tend to fast from food out of habit as a religious ritual (doing something out of habit) but we do not do enough spiritual fasting. He says someone that understands what spiritual fasting is, is one that understands that during this time, it is time to let go of things that derail you from the path of God, time to let go of things that you keep but don’t need and you know someone else might need. Spiritual fasting is meant to stretch you spiritually, but in the middle of that stretching God is going to work on you and your spirit. When you're going through fasting, and you continue to maintain worldy behaviour, and come to church so that people KNOW that you are going to church, then it is done out of habit and for external validation, and not for God to work on the inner being in you so that you may change. So fasting from something as an individual or as a collective means that you must, through this period, reconnect with God and be able to hear his voice, so that he speaks to you and tells you what he desires for you and your life. You are not to question where he places you for you are here as a servant in the kingdom of God.
So we are working from the ashes that we are taking today on Ash Wednesday and taking the journey to the resurrection (the cross). In other words this is your personal journey of Via Dolorosa
