Ready.  Set.  Lent!  Ash Wednesday dawned...a cold, crisp morning brushed itself against my face.  In order to protect myself from the cold, I had my coat on under my white alb and purple chasuable.  You see, my day started with Ashes to Go at the Cary Metra Train Station at 6:15am.  There I was, in my purple finery, standing on the platform, providing ashes to the early morning commuters.  You can imagine some of the looks I received along with some rather interesting comments.  It was, in a word, an amazing morning.  People asked why I was there.  Simple response:  because it is a blessing to bring God here, especially for those who may not be able to visit God in church.  Simple, to the point and to the heart of the matter.  People stood in short lines to receive this visible mark that recalls from whence we came and to what we shall return.  It is a stark reminder, certainly.  Yet, it is also a joyful reminder, that in time, we will return to God.  

As the morning trains began to slow down in departures and fewer people were on the platform, I ventured over to the Cary Fire and Police Departments and shared ashes there.  The men and women were surprised that such a thing could happen...good heavens, someone is bringing a little bit of God to us!  A quick stop at home to get out of the worship garments and off to visit some of our home bound parishioners.  Later in the afternoon, a good number of the members of the Nooners Support Group came forward for ashes, too.  More people came to St. Nicholas for the food pantry and nearly all present asked for ashes.  How wonderful!   That's why we're here, isn't it?  To provide nourishment for both body and soul.  The day culminated with a lovely evening Liturgy, complete with prayers, music and time for quiet reflection.   Quite a day, to say the least.  The torrential rains during the Liturgy added that extra special dramatic effect, too! 

Ashes to Go was just the beginning of this Lenten season.  The next six weeks though, are not meant to be a sprint, a race run merely to finish.  Rather, Lent is a marathon, an experience and an encounter with the Divine that is meant to be savored and cherished.   Lent invites us to look deep within ourselves, to get a better idea of where we are with regard to our relationship with God and with one another.  It is a unique and blessed time to draw closer to the Creator and further away from the distractions and disturbances of life.  Let's all enjoy this journey.  It is a sacred gift the church affords us each year and what a blessed gift it is.        

manny@stnicholasepiscopal.org

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The Martin Family: Karen, Tom and Katie 

Our sisters and brothers at St. Bede's Church, as they go through the transition of merging with St. Nicholas.  

Hope Smith

Ethel (Corkey) Stratton, the mother of Hal Stratton, as she continues to recover from surgery and a nasty fall. 

Carrie Loos

Paul Brouillette

For those in transition: those searching for work, those who are moving and those encountering changes in life.