{"id":69224,"date":"2025-03-05T01:15:32","date_gmt":"2025-03-05T06:15:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/bibleandculture\/?p=69224"},"modified":"2025-01-24T20:22:38","modified_gmt":"2025-01-25T01:22:38","slug":"ash-wednesday-with-gratitude","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/bibleandculture\/2025\/03\/05\/ash-wednesday-with-gratitude\/","title":{"rendered":"Ash Wednesday— with gratitude"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

<\/iframe><\/p>\nI\u2019ve been fortunate enough to see David Marino perform in New York, and God has really given him a great gift of a voice, as you will clearly see here.\u00a0 Today, when we celebrate Ash Wednesday (which I wrote a poem about\u2014 see below), is not only a day to repent of past sins, but to be eternally grateful for God\u2019s grace in sending Christ to save us from our sins.\u00a0 Lenten comes from the word lengthen because it is celebrated at the time of year when there is the lengthening of the days.<\/p>\n<h1>RSVP<\/h1>\n\u00a0<\/p>\nTo move from fast to feast,<\/p>\nFrom ashes to riding an ass,<\/p>\nFrom wilderness wandering<\/p>\nGod\u2019s willingness wondering<\/p>\nTo follow the way of the cross<\/p>\nTo find what was utterly lost<\/p>\nAll this was Lent to us.<\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\nThe cup not passed over<\/p>\nBy our Passover<\/p>\nThe vinegar he willingly drank\u2014<\/p>\nBut through gift divine<\/p>\nNew covenant wine<\/p>\nCame forth from his side as he sank<\/p>\nAll this was given to us<\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\nThrough breaking of bread<\/p>\nThey knew their head<\/p>\nThe joy of new life begun<\/p>\nFrom out of the depths,<\/p>\nFrom out of his death<\/p>\nHis people one loaf had become<\/p>\nAll this was food for us.<\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\nLent leads to Easter<\/p>\nThe faster turns feaster<\/p>\nA foretaste for those in the dust<\/p>\nA bread with new leaven<\/p>\nThe manna from heaven<\/p>\nAll this has risen for us.<\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\nGod\u2019s ways are not our ways,<\/p>\nOur eyes cannot see,<\/p>\nThe logic of love,<\/p>\nNailed to a tree.<\/p>\nCome now to the dinner<\/p>\nCome saint and come sinner,<\/p>\nThe meal is now served to us.<\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\nLent 1982<\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"I\u2019ve been fortunate enough to see David Marino perform in New York, and God has really given him a great gift of a voice, as you will clearly see here.\u00a0 Today, when we celebrate Ash Wednesday (which I wrote a poem about\u2014 see below), is not only a day to repent of past sins, but […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":91,"featured_media":68692,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[15230],"class_list":["post-69224","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-grace-should-lead-to-gratitude"],"yoast_head":"\n<title>Ash Wednesday--- with gratitude<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"https:\/\/youtube.com\/watch?v=Hp45KYWIvW0&feature=shared I've been fortunate enough to see David Marino perform in New York, and God has really given\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Ash Wednesday--- with gratitude\" 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