Preparing for Ash Wednesday

In this episode of Your Week with St. Luke’s, Pastor Jad invites listeners to step thoughtfully into the season of Lent by exploring the meaning and history of Ash Wednesday. Tracing Lent’s roots to the early church as a season of communal preparation, repentance, and renewal, he explains the biblical symbolism of ashes as signs of mortality and truth-telling before God. Reflecting on Matthew 6, Pastor Jad unpacks Jesus’ teaching on almsgiving, prayer, and fasting, highlighting the difference between public faith and performative faith and challenging us to examine our motives and “audience.” Rather than focusing on outward ritual, this episode reframes Lent as an invitation to reorder our desires, prepare our hearts, and walk honestly toward the cross and the hope of resurrection. Go deeper this week with the LivetheRhythm app Join us for worship on Ash Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. in the Sanctuary and live online