Ashes & Valentines

#54

Friends,

What is your weird combination? Something that you like that doesn’t seem to go together, but it actually goes together. Here are a few weird combinations:

• Tim McGraw and Nelly did a duet together.

• Some of you like pineapple on pizza.

• And apparently, there is a thing called Goat Yoga.

Today is Ash Wednesday and Valentine’s Day. What a weird combination of two things that seem to not fit well together.

• Ash Wednesday is known for confession, dust, and death.

• Valentine’s Day is known for flowers, chocolate, and romance.

But this year we get to experience these two strange holidays together, and I think they actually fit well together because Ash Wednesday is truly all about love.

• Paul writes, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

• John writes, “We love because he first loved us.”

On Ash Wednesday we cling not to our greatness, but to God’s mercy. And we extend that love to others, not because of what they can do for us, but because they are worthy of love: flaws and all.

A friend shared this quote by Dorothy Day, “When we are in love with people, we see all the best that there is in them and understand very clearly their failures and their lapses. But the love continues strong and works wonders.”

So Happy Ash Wednesday/Valentine’s Day my friend. May the unconditional love of God flow into you and through you.

Love,

Aaron

P.S. If you don’t have reservations somewhere, I’d love for you to find an Ash Wednesday service to go to. You can find them over the lunch hour or evening at many places including Christ Church on Harvard in Tulsa. I’d love to see you.