Ash Wednesday: A Call to Peacemaking
Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, a season of reflection and repentance. For centuries, Christians have observed Ash Wednesday by receiving ashes on their foreheads, a symbol of our mortality and a call to humility before God. The practice traces its roots to biblical themes of dust and repentance such as Genesis 3:19: "Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return."
The ashes used on Ash Wednesday typically come from burning the palm branches from the previous year’s Palm Sunday. This connection between triumph and humility echoes Christ's journey -- from the joy of the crowds welcoming him into Jerusalem to his sacrifice on the cross. As we begin Lent, we are invited to enter into this sacred time with a posture of repentance and a desire to be transformed.
Lent is marked by fasting and prayer -- disciplines that draw us closer to God -- as well as a call to the good work of peacemaking. Jesus, the Prince of Peace, taught that true discipleship involves justice and love for our both neighbors and our enemies.
This past Sunday, we explored the story of Abigail, a woman of wisdom and courage who became a peacemaker in a time of remarkable challenge. Abigail’s actions prevented bloodshed and demonstrated the power of humility and bold intervention. As we enter Lent, her story reminds us that peacemaking is not passive; it requires faith, wisdom, and sometimes great personal risk. Just as Abigail stepped into a volatile situation to bring reconciliation, we, too, are called to be agents of God’s peace in a world that desperately needs it.
Peacemaking is not merely the absence of conflict but the active pursuit of reconciliation and justice. It begins with examining our own tendencies toward bitterness or indifference, and extends outward as we seek to be agents of God’s peace in our society.
As we walk through Lent, here are a few ways to embrace peacemaking:
Practice Self-Examination – Ask God to reveal areas where you need to seek peace, whether in personal relationships or within your own heart.
Engage in Reconciliation – Reach out to someone with whom you have experienced conflict. Offer forgiveness or ask for it, trusting in God’s power to restore broken relationships.
Pray for Peace – Lift up prayers for peace in your community and around the world, interceding for those suffering from violence, war, and division.
Act Justly – Look for ways to support justice initiatives, care for the vulnerable, and stand against oppression in Christ’s name.
Speak with Kindness – Choose words that build up rather than tear down, fostering an environment of grace and understanding.
Lent is a journey, and peacemaking is part of our calling as followers of Christ. May this season be a time of examining our hearts, drawing closer to God, and stepping forward as bearers of His peace in a world that longs for it.