Once in winter,
I stood,
White flakes brushing my face
With white fingers,
I waited with the others
We shivered on the steps–
Stuck out our tongues to catch snowflakes
So cold they would burn.
Soon the big doors would open
On smoke and candles
and a cold thumb would brush
My forehead with a cross of ashes
“Dust to Dust” he would mutter
While snowflakes melted in my hair.

~ From Ashes to Easter ~

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Lent: Fasting and Abstinence

Intro to Lent 1: Prayers

Lenten Prayers and Hymns

Heart Prayer for Children: Lent

The Lenten Journey
(non-demoninational)

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12

Yet even now, says the LORD, return to me with your whole heart, with fasting, and weeping, and mourning;

13

Rend your hearts, not your garments, and return to the LORD, your God. For gracious and merciful is he, slow to anger, rich in kindness, and relenting in punishment.

14

Perhaps he will again relent and leave behind him a blessing, Offerings and libations for the LORD, your God.

15

Blow the trumpet in Zion! proclaim a fast, call an assembly;

16

Gather the people, notify the congregation; Assemble the elders, gather the children and the infants at the breast; Let the bridegroom quit his room, and the bride her chamber.

17

¹ Between the porch and the altar let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep, And say, “Spare, O LORD, your people, and make not your heritage a reproach, with the nations ruling over them! Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’”

18

Then the LORD was stirred to concern for his land and took pity on his people.

Joel 2:12-18