March 2, 2025 • 12 mins
In this bonus episode of Next Door Gospel, host Peggy Griffith introduces the observance of Ash Wednesday and the season of Lent. Peggy aims to explain the significance of these traditions for those unfamiliar with or curious about them. She highlights Ash Wednesday’s role in marking the beginning of a 40-day period leading up to Easter, emphasizing the practices of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving that characterize Lent. Peggy discusses the origins and deep meanings behind these traditions, including references to Biblical events and Jesus’s time in the wilderness. She also counters common misconceptions about Lent, framing it as a time for spiritual renewal and meaningful self-reflection rather than mere deprivation. Finally, she encourages listeners to consider personal ways to observe Lent that align with their spiritual goals and daily lives.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:10):
Hello, friends, and welcome toNext Door Gospel, the podcast
where we explore God's presenceand movement in our everyday
life.
I'm your host, Peggy Griffith,and today is a bonus episode.
So I released my first podcastepisode last week, Wednesday,
and as it just so happens, weare entering this week.
(00:33):
That is an important season onmany church calendars, and
that's Ash Wednesday, which isthis week, and it starts the
season of Lent.
That is Lent, L E N T, not L I NT, which is what you clean out
of that little trap in yourdryer.
or for some people they find intheir belly buttons.
(00:56):
So since this podcast is foreveryone, I realized that not
everyone has grown up in thistradition or even knows what it
is.
And some folks grew up.
practicing it but they don'treally know the why behind it.
So I thought it might be fun totalk a little bit about it with
you because on Wednesday you maynotice some people walking
(01:16):
around with smudges on theirforeheads and your co workers
might announce that they aregiving up chocolate for
mysterious reasons.
And so where I grew up inKentucky it's also the season
where the local churches hosttheir Friday night fish fries
and guess what?
Now that I live in Wisconsin, wehave fish fries like every
(01:36):
Friday of the year up here.
It's amazing.
But there's a lot more to AshWednesday and Lent than forehead
smudges and fish fillets.
So today I'd like to break itall down a little bit for you,
whether you've observed Lentyour whole life, or maybe you're
just curious about those strangeashy marks that you've spotted
at the grocery store.
(01:58):
So let's dive right in with thebasics.
What exactly is Ash Wednesday?
Ash Wednesday marks thebeginning of Lent, which is a 40
day period leading up to Easterin the Christian tradition.
This year, Ash Wednesday fallsthis week, on March 5th.
(02:18):
And it's called Ash Wednesdaybecause it is usually
accompanied by a worship servicewhere priests or ministers place
ashes on people's foreheads,usually in the shape of a cross.
And they're usually sayingsomething like, remember that
you are dust, and to dust youwill return.
(02:39):
So let's be honest, that's kindof a heavy thing to say to
someone in public.
Definitely not your typicalWednesday hump day pep talk, but
there is deep meaning behind it.
Those ashes are typically madefrom burning the palm branches
from the previous year's PalmSunday.
And we'll talk more about thesignificance of Palm Sunday when
(03:02):
we get closer to Easter, butthere is this beautiful cyclical
nature to it.
And the palms, which hadrepresented triumph and
celebration.
become a reminder of ourmortality and our dependence on
God.
And the dust to dust reminderrefers to the creation story of
(03:25):
Genesis, where God createdhumanity starting with dust of
the earth.
And to the reality that, well,we all eventually return to that
state.
So Ash Wednesday is essentiallya reminder of our mortality.
Which sounds depressing, but Ihave found it strangely
(03:49):
liberating, because when youacknowledge that your time is
limited, it really can help youfocus on what truly matters.
Now, if it weren't for copyrightrules, I'd queue up Tim McGraw's
Live Like You Were Dying song.
Because one might say that AshWednesday is like the original
YOLO, you only live once.
(04:12):
Except instead of using it as anexcuse to make questionable
decisions, it's encouragingthoughtful reflection.
It's a time to reflect on yourlife, acknowledge mistakes, and
simply commit to doing and beingbetter.
So Ash Wednesday kicks off Lent.
(04:34):
What exactly is Lent?
Lent represents that 40 daysleading up to Easter, and I know
you are dying to ask, why 40days?
Well, the number 40 appearsthroughout the Bible in
significant ways.
Noah's ark and the flood was for40 days and 40 nights.
(04:57):
The Israelites wandered in thedesert for 40 years.
And most directly related to thetradition of Lent is that Jesus,
upon his baptism by John theBaptist in the River Jordan,
right at the start of hisministry, was driven into the
wilderness for 40 days.
And there, Jesus fasted, and hefaced fears and temptation.
(05:23):
And I'd like to think it was atime of preparation for Jesus
connecting and trusting hisheavenly father and coming to
terms with who and whose he was.
So when we observe Lent, we arefollowing Jesus example by
having our own 40 day period ofspiritual focus.
(05:49):
So let's talk about whatactually happens during Lent.
There are three traditionalpillars of the Lenten
observance, and that is prayer,fasting, and almsgiving.
So almsgiving, in case you'rewondering, is essentially
donating to the poor or lessfortunate.
(06:09):
It's acts of charity andgenerosity.
So the idea is that Lent isn'tjust about personal spiritual
improvement.
It's also about helping othersand participating in God's work
in the world.
At my home church, First ChurchTosa, we observe a day of
(06:30):
service called Saturday Serve,and we will have a number of
service activities for people ofall ages to participate in.
We have groups that do homeimprovement projects for people
in need.
We help out at a senior home,make bag lunches, and even make
plarn.
Have you ever heard of plarn?
(06:52):
It's genius.
It's a way of weaving togetherthose plastic bags you get from
the grocery store and turningthem into something productive
as a sleeping mat that offerssome comfort and ground barrier
for homeless individuals.
So what about fasting?
(07:12):
It doesn't necessarily mean noteating at all.
For most people, Lenten fastingmeans giving up certain foods or
activities.
Traditionally, it is, um, it'sinvolved in abstaining from meat
on Fridays, hence all those fishfry promotions that you see, and
sometimes giving up other foodslike dairy or eggs.
(07:35):
And that, my friends, is why wehave Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday,
right before Ash Wednesday.
It was originally about using upall those ingredients before the
fasting period began.
And I always find it funny how apractical refrigerator
(07:55):
management solution evolved intoelaborate parades and
celebrations, but that's howtraditions often work, don't
they?
So nowadays, many people chooseto give up things beyond food,
like social media, streamingservices, except the Next Door
Gospel Podcast, of course, orother habits that they feel
(08:19):
might be distracting them.
Uh, from what matters and I knowsomeone who gives up using the
elevator at work during lunch.
He says, climbing 6 flights ofstairs daily gives him time to
pray and reminds him of hisdependence on God's strength to
each their own.
(08:39):
I guess.
But some people use that time toadd space to add something
positive to their lives likeadding daily prayer, scripture
reading, meditation, acts ofkindness.
So it's not, it's not aboutdeprivation.
It's about creating that spacefor growth and connection.
(09:02):
The idea isn't to punishyourself, but to clear away
distractions and refocus.
I like to think of it as aspiritual spring cleaning for
your soul.
We deep clean our homes.
Why not do the same for ourspiritual lives?
So, who actually observes Lentthese days?
(09:23):
Is it just Catholics?
Not at all.
Roman Catholics do observe it,but so do Eastern Orthodox
Christians, Anglicans,Episcopalians, Lutherans,
Methodists, Presbyterians,Congregationalists, and other
denominations as well.
And while the specific practicesmay vary a little, the core
(09:46):
purpose remains similar acrossthose traditions.
It's a time of preparation,reflection, and spiritual
renewal leading up to Easter.
So before we wrap up on thislittle bonus episode, there are
some common misunderstandingsabout Lent that I've encountered
over the years.
(10:07):
One is that Lent is about havingto give up something you love as
some form of self torture.
And I do not think that's thecase at all.
The tradition of giving upsomething is more about creating
space for something better.
For example, if you give up doomscrolling through social media
(10:28):
for an hour each day, what mightyou do with that time instead?
Connect with loved ones, read,pray.
That's really the point.
And some people think Lent isonly about rules and
restrictions, but what if wethought about it as freedom?
(10:50):
Freedom from habits that don'tserve us well.
Freedom to focus on the goodnessthis life gives.
At its heart, Lent is a journeytoward Easter, toward
celebration, renewal, and hope.
It's like hiking up a mountainbecause you know there's an
(11:12):
amazing view at the end.
So whether you're observing Lentthis year or you're just curious
about those people with ash ontheir foreheads, I hope this has
been an enlightening glimpseinto this ancient tradition.
And if you're thinking aboutobserving Lent yourself but
(11:32):
don't know where to start,remember that there's no one
right way to do it.
You might start small.
Maybe giving up one habit thatdoesn't serve you well and add
one practice that might enrichyour life.
Or you might just use these 40days to pay more attention to
your own life, to the needs ofothers around you, or even to
(11:57):
the changing of the seasons aswinter turns into spring.
Here at Next Door Gospel, faithisn't something remote or
separate from everyday life.
It's right here, it's right nextdoor, woven into our daily
experiences and relationships.
And Lent is one of thosebeautiful traditions that can
(12:20):
bring the sacred right into ourordinary days.
So thank you for joining metoday.
If you enjoyed this episode,please subscribe and share it
with a friend.
I look forward to talking withyou next time.
And until then, I wish youglimpses of grace in your
everyday moments.
(12:41):
And may the Lord bless you andkeep you.
The Lord make His face to shineupon you and be gracious to you.
The Lord lift His face towardyou and give you peace.
Amen.
Hello, friends, and welcome toNext Door Gospel, the podcast
where we explore God's presenceand movement in our everyday
life.
I'm your host, Peggy Griffith,and today is a bonus episode.
So I released my first podcastepisode last week, Wednesday,
and as it just so happens, weare entering this week.
(00:33):
That is an important season onmany church calendars, and
that's Ash Wednesday, which isthis week, and it starts the
season of Lent.
That is Lent, L E N T, not L I NT, which is what you clean out
of that little trap in yourdryer.
or for some people they find intheir belly buttons.
(00:56):
So since this podcast is foreveryone, I realized that not
everyone has grown up in thistradition or even knows what it
is.
And some folks grew up.
practicing it but they don'treally know the why behind it.
So I thought it might be fun totalk a little bit about it with
you because on Wednesday you maynotice some people walking
(01:16):
around with smudges on theirforeheads and your co workers
might announce that they aregiving up chocolate for
mysterious reasons.
And so where I grew up inKentucky it's also the season
where the local churches hosttheir Friday night fish fries
and guess what?
Now that I live in Wisconsin, wehave fish fries like every
(01:36):
Friday of the year up here.
It's amazing.
But there's a lot more to AshWednesday and Lent than forehead
smudges and fish fillets.
So today I'd like to break itall down a little bit for you,
whether you've observed Lentyour whole life, or maybe you're
just curious about those strangeashy marks that you've spotted
at the grocery store.
(01:58):
So let's dive right in with thebasics.
What exactly is Ash Wednesday?
Ash Wednesday marks thebeginning of Lent, which is a 40
day period leading up to Easterin the Christian tradition.
This year, Ash Wednesday fallsthis week, on March 5th.
(02:18):
And it's called Ash Wednesdaybecause it is usually
accompanied by a worship servicewhere priests or ministers place
ashes on people's foreheads,usually in the shape of a cross.
And they're usually sayingsomething like, remember that
you are dust, and to dust youwill return.
(02:39):
So let's be honest, that's kindof a heavy thing to say to
someone in public.
Definitely not your typicalWednesday hump day pep talk, but
there is deep meaning behind it.
Those ashes are typically madefrom burning the palm branches
from the previous year's PalmSunday.
And we'll talk more about thesignificance of Palm Sunday when
(03:02):
we get closer to Easter, butthere is this beautiful cyclical
nature to it.
And the palms, which hadrepresented triumph and
celebration.
become a reminder of ourmortality and our dependence on
God.
And the dust to dust reminderrefers to the creation story of
(03:25):
Genesis, where God createdhumanity starting with dust of
the earth.
And to the reality that, well,we all eventually return to that
state.
So Ash Wednesday is essentiallya reminder of our mortality.
Which sounds depressing, but Ihave found it strangely
(03:49):
liberating, because when youacknowledge that your time is
limited, it really can help youfocus on what truly matters.
Now, if it weren't for copyrightrules, I'd queue up Tim McGraw's
Live Like You Were Dying song.
Because one might say that AshWednesday is like the original
YOLO, you only live once.
(04:12):
Except instead of using it as anexcuse to make questionable
decisions, it's encouragingthoughtful reflection.
It's a time to reflect on yourlife, acknowledge mistakes, and
simply commit to doing and beingbetter.
So Ash Wednesday kicks off Lent.
(04:34):
What exactly is Lent?
Lent represents that 40 daysleading up to Easter, and I know
you are dying to ask, why 40days?
Well, the number 40 appearsthroughout the Bible in
significant ways.
Noah's ark and the flood was for40 days and 40 nights.
(04:57):
The Israelites wandered in thedesert for 40 years.
And most directly related to thetradition of Lent is that Jesus,
upon his baptism by John theBaptist in the River Jordan,
right at the start of hisministry, was driven into the
wilderness for 40 days.
And there, Jesus fasted, and hefaced fears and temptation.
(05:23):
And I'd like to think it was atime of preparation for Jesus
connecting and trusting hisheavenly father and coming to
terms with who and whose he was.
So when we observe Lent, we arefollowing Jesus example by
having our own 40 day period ofspiritual focus.
(05:49):
So let's talk about whatactually happens during Lent.
There are three traditionalpillars of the Lenten
observance, and that is prayer,fasting, and almsgiving.
So almsgiving, in case you'rewondering, is essentially
donating to the poor or lessfortunate.
(06:09):
It's acts of charity andgenerosity.
So the idea is that Lent isn'tjust about personal spiritual
improvement.
It's also about helping othersand participating in God's work
in the world.
At my home church, First ChurchTosa, we observe a day of
(06:30):
service called Saturday Serve,and we will have a number of
service activities for people ofall ages to participate in.
We have groups that do homeimprovement projects for people
in need.
We help out at a senior home,make bag lunches, and even make
plarn.
Have you ever heard of plarn?
(06:52):
It's genius.
It's a way of weaving togetherthose plastic bags you get from
the grocery store and turningthem into something productive
as a sleeping mat that offerssome comfort and ground barrier
for homeless individuals.
So what about fasting?
(07:12):
It doesn't necessarily mean noteating at all.
For most people, Lenten fastingmeans giving up certain foods or
activities.
Traditionally, it is, um, it'sinvolved in abstaining from meat
on Fridays, hence all those fishfry promotions that you see, and
sometimes giving up other foodslike dairy or eggs.
(07:35):
And that, my friends, is why wehave Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday,
right before Ash Wednesday.
It was originally about using upall those ingredients before the
fasting period began.
And I always find it funny how apractical refrigerator
(07:55):
management solution evolved intoelaborate parades and
celebrations, but that's howtraditions often work, don't
they?
So nowadays, many people chooseto give up things beyond food,
like social media, streamingservices, except the Next Door
Gospel Podcast, of course, orother habits that they feel
(08:19):
might be distracting them.
Uh, from what matters and I knowsomeone who gives up using the
elevator at work during lunch.
He says, climbing 6 flights ofstairs daily gives him time to
pray and reminds him of hisdependence on God's strength to
each their own.
(08:39):
I guess.
But some people use that time toadd space to add something
positive to their lives likeadding daily prayer, scripture
reading, meditation, acts ofkindness.
So it's not, it's not aboutdeprivation.
It's about creating that spacefor growth and connection.
(09:02):
The idea isn't to punishyourself, but to clear away
distractions and refocus.
I like to think of it as aspiritual spring cleaning for
your soul.
We deep clean our homes.
Why not do the same for ourspiritual lives?
So, who actually observes Lentthese days?
(09:23):
Is it just Catholics?
Not at all.
Roman Catholics do observe it,but so do Eastern Orthodox
Christians, Anglicans,Episcopalians, Lutherans,
Methodists, Presbyterians,Congregationalists, and other
denominations as well.
And while the specific practicesmay vary a little, the core
(09:46):
purpose remains similar acrossthose traditions.
It's a time of preparation,reflection, and spiritual
renewal leading up to Easter.
So before we wrap up on thislittle bonus episode, there are
some common misunderstandingsabout Lent that I've encountered
over the years.
(10:07):
One is that Lent is about havingto give up something you love as
some form of self torture.
And I do not think that's thecase at all.
The tradition of giving upsomething is more about creating
space for something better.
For example, if you give up doomscrolling through social media
(10:28):
for an hour each day, what mightyou do with that time instead?
Connect with loved ones, read,pray.
That's really the point.
And some people think Lent isonly about rules and
restrictions, but what if wethought about it as freedom?
(10:50):
Freedom from habits that don'tserve us well.
Freedom to focus on the goodnessthis life gives.
At its heart, Lent is a journeytoward Easter, toward
celebration, renewal, and hope.
It's like hiking up a mountainbecause you know there's an
(11:12):
amazing view at the end.
So whether you're observing Lentthis year or you're just curious
about those people with ash ontheir foreheads, I hope this has
been an enlightening glimpseinto this ancient tradition.
And if you're thinking aboutobserving Lent yourself but
(11:32):
don't know where to start,remember that there's no one
right way to do it.
You might start small.
Maybe giving up one habit thatdoesn't serve you well and add
one practice that might enrichyour life.
Or you might just use these 40days to pay more attention to
your own life, to the needs ofothers around you, or even to
(11:57):
the changing of the seasons aswinter turns into spring.
Here at Next Door Gospel, faithisn't something remote or
separate from everyday life.
It's right here, it's right nextdoor, woven into our daily
experiences and relationships.
And Lent is one of thosebeautiful traditions that can
(12:20):
bring the sacred right into ourordinary days.
So thank you for joining metoday.
If you enjoyed this episode,please subscribe and share it
with a friend.
I look forward to talking withyou next time.
And until then, I wish youglimpses of grace in your
everyday moments.
(12:41):
And may the Lord bless you andkeep you.
The Lord make His face to shineupon you and be gracious to you.
The Lord lift His face towardyou and give you peace.
Amen.
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