By Pastor Jason Smith
In the book of Genesis, God tells Adam that he’s not going to live forever: “You are dust, and to dust you shall return.” These words serve as a reminder of our own mortality and the ever-changing nature of life. As we enter the Christian season of Lent, this message takes on new significance for me.
My friend Carol used to ask, “Why do we have to stop saying ‘Hallelujah’ during Lent? Why is it so gloomy?”
It’s a fair question. Why not focus on positivity all the time? We certainly could. But frankly, in a world where there is still war and pain, where disease spreads needlessly, where our daily burdens weigh us down, and especially in a world where injustice and poverty persist, the hope of life can feel very far away.
The season of Lent is a 40-day period before Easter that has been celebrated since the 4th century. Lent, derived from the Old English word lencten, meaning “spring season,” invites us to step back from the usual flavors, colors, and comforts of our lives to reflect on their absence. Silence, darkness, and reverence are not qualities we always seek out, but they ground us in truth. If we only consume the sugars, fats, and libations of life (which I am a big fan of, by the way), we risk becoming bloated with a false sense of how the world works.
Lent is a season to acknowledge life’s complexity—the shadows as well as the light. Before we can fully embrace joy, it is wise to sit with the uncomfortable, the difficult, and the real. It is why Jesus journeyed alone into the wilderness to take 40 days to fast and pray in solitude. In that loneliness, he faced hunger, he faced exhaustion, and the devil met him face to face. I hope we do not experience these awful things, but we need to remember that so many around the world do, and some even in our own community.
Today, as we celebrate Fat Tuesday, I encourage you to indulge, enjoy, and let the good times roll—Laissez les bons temps rouler!
But I also invite you to join us on Ash Wednesday. Many of us will receive black crosses on our foreheads and hear the eternal words, “You are dust, and to dust you shall return.”
But the hope of life is not lost. It may seem far away, it may take some time to sit in the silence to realize it, but hope will come soon enough just as the rain and sunshine draw out the beauty in the blooms of spring.
May this Lent draw us deeper into reflection, compassion, and renewal.
First Presbyterian Church, Arkadelphia will hold an Ash Wednesday service service at 5:30 p.m. to mark the beginning of this sacred season.
First Presbyterian Church
1220 Pine St.
Arkadelphia