Wednesday, February 13
Jonah
3:1-4:11
Psalms
32, 95, 102, 130, 143
Hebrews
12:1-14
Luke
18:9-14
It
was my first Mardi Gras in New Orleans as an “adult.” I was an 18-year-old college freshman, making
my way down Bourbon Street with a rugby team from San Diego my roommate and I
met on the streetcar. I was doing my
best to appear cool and collected, but I was actually terrified. As the hours wore on, my new pals were getting
increasingly out of control. There were
so many people packed onto the French Quarter that, at times, my feet weren’t
even touching the ground as we moved. I
was going along with the crowd not only figuratively but also literally. All of a sudden, the crush of people became much
worse. I looked up and saw a line of
policemen coming toward us on horseback, pushing the sea of people aside and
yelling into their bullhorns, “Mardi Gras is over! Get off the street now!”
It was midnight. The police were
clearing the way for the large mechanical street sweepers and garbage trucks that
followed them. Fat Tuesday was indeed
over. It was Ash Wednesday, and Lent had
begun. It was all very sobering. We were swept off the street like dirt off a
porch.
That
has always been a powerful image for me, the dramatic moment at midnight when the
Carnival season abruptly ended and Lent began.
It was also amazing to me that no matter how much filth there was to
clean up that night, the job got done. Lent
is like that. God gives us the
opportunity to repent and reflect, to clean up our act. No mess is too big.
Today’s
readings remind us of not only of God’s justice and righteousness, but, most
importantly, his abundant mercy. God is
always willing to forgive our transgressions.
He is always willing to give us a fresh start, whether we deserve it or
not. It is such an incredible gift. Let us use this gift of Lent wisely.
Evelyn Snow