A Valentine’s Day Ash Wednesday: Embracing Love and Lent at PHLC
This year, Valentine’s Day shares its calendar space with Ash Wednesday, presenting a unique opportunity for us at Perry Highway Lutheran Church (PHLC) to reflect on the convergence of love and the beginning of Lent. As we enter this solemn season of reflection and repentance, we also celebrate love in its many forms. This duality offers a profound moment to contemplate how love—both divine and human—can guide us through the Lenten season with a focus on inclusivity, LGBTQ+ affirmation, and celebrating diversity within our church community.
Love and Lent: A Call to Inclusive Reflection
The juxtaposition of Valentine’s Day and Ash Wednesday invites us to explore the breadth of love’s meaning within a Christian context. Love, as we recognize it on Valentine’s Day, is often expressed through gestures of affection and appreciation towards our significant others, friends, and family. Ash Wednesday, marking the start of Lent, calls us to a love of a different kind—a love that reflects Christ’s sacrifice, compelling us to turn inward and examine how we extend love to the marginalized and misunderstood in our midst.
This Lent, let us embrace a season of inclusive love. A love that transcends traditional boundaries and affirms the dignity and worth of every individual, especially our LGBTQ+ brothers and sisters. Let us be a living testament to the kind of unconditional love Christ showed—a love without prejudice or exception.
A Lenten Journey of Inclusivity
As we don ashes to remind ourselves of our mortality and need for repentance, let us also remember the call to love one another deeply, a command that lies at the heart of Jesus’ teachings. This Lent, we are invited to journey together in a way that intentionally includes everyone, celebrating the diversity that enriches our faith community.
In this season, let us focus on breaking down the barriers that divide us. Let’s engage in open dialogues, participate in community services that uplift the marginalized, and create spaces where everyone feels genuinely welcomed and valued. By doing so, we embody the inclusive love that Jesus exemplified.
Celebrating Diversity: A Reflection of Divine Love
Diversity within our church is not just to be acknowledged but celebrated. Each individual brings unique perspectives and experiences that, when woven together, create a richer, more vibrant tapestry of faith. This Lent, let’s highlight and honor these differences as reflections of the vastness of God’s love.
We encourage our community to participate in events, services, and discussions that elevate our understanding and appreciation of each other. Let this Lenten season be marked by learning from one another, growing closer not despite our differences, but because of them.
A Commitment to Unconditional Love
As we move through these forty days of Lent, from a Valentine’s Day Ash Wednesday to the hope of Easter, let our actions and attitudes be guided by unconditional love. This love challenges us, changes us, and ultimately brings us closer to the heart of God.
In this unique season, PHLC stands as a beacon of love’s power to unite. We are a church that not only welcomes but fervently celebrates every individual, affirming that everyone belongs and is beloved in the family of God.
Conclusion: A United Journey in Love and Faith
This year, let the overlapping messages of Valentine’s Day and Ash Wednesday inspire us to a deeper commitment to love and inclusivity. May our Lenten journey be a reflection of our ongoing dedication to being an LGBTQ+ friendly church that stands firmly for diversity and unconditional love.
Together, in faith and love, we embark on this Lenten season, ready to reflect, repent, and rejoice in the diversity that God has blessed us with. Join us at PHLC as we celebrate this journey, united in our quest to live out the true meaning of Christian love.
For more information on our Lenten services, inclusive initiatives, and how you can get involved, follow us on our social media platforms and stay updated through our newsletters. Let’s make this Lent a season of love, reflection, and unity.
