Weekly Reflection – Love and Lent

This has been officially the first week of lent, Ash Wednesday marked the beginning of lent in which we held a service in the hospital chapel.

To my surprise, we had 14 people attend our mid week Eucharist, as the congregation moved forward to receive their Ash cross I said the words ‘remember that you are but dust and dust you shall return.’ as simple and yet symbolic ritual.

As we left the service, each person who attended received a red rose, remembering that it was also Valentine’s Day. 90 roses had kindly been donated and lovingly been made up by one of our chaplains for staff well-being.

Each rose had a sticker holding the wrapping together with the image of ‘Jesus at the door’, by Charles Mackesy, the man who illustrated ‘the boy, the mole, the fox and the horse’.

As we begin this Lenten season, we are reminded that Jesus is at the door. We are reminded that we are to take up our cross and follow him, and we are reminded that to grow in holiness, we need to strip away our pride and embrace Gods endless love and blessings.

Amen.

Reverend Charlene