Grace in our Weakness

Devotional Reflection, Ash Wednesday, March 5, 2025

The first day of Lent

The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D.

Key phrases for reflection from today’s epistle reading:

12:1Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely,* and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, 2looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of* the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God.

. . . .

12 Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, 13and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed.

14 Pursue peace with everyone, and the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.

(You will find the full text of today’s epistle reading at the end of this reflection.)

Daily Office Lectionary Readings (BCP, 950)

AM Psalm 95* & 32,143; PM Psalm 102,130   

Jonah 3:1-4:11; Heb. 12:1-14; Luke 18:9-14

David’s Reflections

Karen Armstrong wrote about Ash Wednesday in the preface to her autobiographical reflection.  “Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent. Catholics have ashes smeared on their foreheads to remind them of their mortality, because it is only when we have become fully aware of the frailty that is inherent in our very nature that we can begin our quest.” * Of course, others besides Roman Catholics observe this day, including we Anglo Catholics (Episcopalians).

In today’s epistle reading, the writer of Hebrews gives us a vivid image of that quest and, in the final verses, of the frailty of the pilgrims.  “Lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed.”  The writer paints with words the image of a community on a journey, like Moses and his followers delivered from Egyptian slavery and trekking through the wilderness.

Individually, we can think of the wounded and weak places in our lives, some of which might be vestiges of our family history—woundings received from those closest  to us.  Some might be the self-inflicted results of our own irresponsibility and sinfulness.  Some might have been received at the hands of abusive and unkind persons in our relationship circle. Those wounds may be our “drooping hands” and our “weak knees,” impeding our ability to journey.

Corporately, we can envision those we know in the community of faith who have more than their share of weakness and frailty that at times inflicts itself upon the community.  And, each of us might have different lists of those people.  (And we might be on their lists.)

The writer calls on us to reframe these drooping hands and weak knees as God’s means of discipline.  We experience full and free forgiveness for our sins and unconditional acceptance and mercy from God in our weakness (see  Hebrews 4:15-16).  But, we do not experience rescue.  We are called to live  into and through our weaknesses and wounds.  Healing does happen, but it often does not come as an instant and magical cure.  In some instances, the affliction persists but our relationship to that suffering gets healed.  (Note Paul’s experience shared in 2  Corinthians 12 of a painful and ongoing weakness that remained after repeated prayer.)  God works in our lives precisely in those wounded and weak places.  Take them away instantly and lose one of the central zones of divine activity in our lives.   Or, as Paul put it, “When I am weak, then I am strong.”

And in our community we cannot abandon in the wilderness those whose presence most vexes and tests the mettle of patience and tolerance.  Their presence calls out our most loving pastoral instincts and takes us beyond tolerance to profound acceptance and embrace, remembering that we all are on God’s list of those with drooping hands and weak knees.  On this Ash Wednesday, we look into each face and embrace each person fully.  That ash smear serves as our common link.

On this holy day we all receive the same imposition of ashes.  We all receive Holy Communion in exactly the same way, with open  hands and open mouth.  We all share equally in the human condition;  we all share equally a profound frailty and need for God.  On this day we make an annual new beginning by grounding ourselves in that frailty and shared need for God.  We begin the trek toward Easter glory but we only make that trek through the wilderness of deprivation, temptation, weakness, vulnerability, and prayer.

As Armstrong put it, “it is only when we have become fully aware of the frailty that is inherent in our very nature that we can begin our quest.”*

* Karen Armstrong, The Spiral Staircase:  My Climb Out of Darkness (New York: Anchor Books, 2004), p. xix.

Collect for Ash Wednesday

Almighty and everlasting God, you hate nothing you have made and forgive the sins of all who are penitent: Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of you, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever

and ever. Amen.   (BCP, 217)

Collect of the Day, The Last Sunday after the Epiphany

O God, who before the passion of your only-begotten Son revealed his glory upon the holy mountain: Grant to us that we, beholding by faith the light of his countenance, may be strengthened to bear our cross, and be changed into his likeness from glory to glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.  (BCP, 217)

A Collect for Grace

Lord God, almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought us in safety to this new day: Preserve us with your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (BCP, 100)

A Prayer attributed to St. Francis

Lord, make us instruments of your peace. Where there is hatred, let us sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is discord, union; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy. Grant that we may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen.  (BCP, 833)

A Collect for Early Evening

Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers, creator of the changes of day and night, giving rest to the weary, renewing the strength of those who are spent, bestowing upon us occasions of song in the evening. As you have protected us in the day that is past, so be with us in the coming night; keep us from every sin, every evil, and every fear; for you are our light and salvation, and the strength of our life. To you be glory for endless ages. Amen. (BCP, 113)

A Collect for Mission

Lord Jesus Christ, you stretched out your arms of love on the hard wood of the cross that everyone might come within the reach of your saving embrace: So clothe us in your Spirit that we, reaching forth our hands in love, may bring those who do not know you to the knowledge and love of you; for the honor of your Name. Amen. (BCP, 101)

Daily Office Epistle, Hebrews 12:1-14

12:1Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely,* and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, 2looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of* the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God.

3 Consider him who endured such hostility against himself from sinners,* so that you may not grow weary or lose heart. 4In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as children—

‘My child, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord,

   or lose heart when you are punished by him;

6for the Lord disciplines those whom he loves,

   and chastises every child whom he accepts.’

7Endure trials for the sake of discipline. God is treating you as children; for what child is there whom a parent does not discipline? 8If you do not have that discipline in which all children share, then you are illegitimate and not his children. 9Moreover, we had human parents to discipline us, and we respected them. Should we not be even more willing to be subject to the Father of spirits and live? 10For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share his holiness. 11Now, discipline always seems painful rather than pleasant at the time, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

12 Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, 13and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed.

14 Pursue peace with everyone, and the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.

Daily Prayer Offices in The Book of Common Prayer

Morning Prayer, Rite 2, page 75, Book of Common Prayer

Noonday Prayer, p. 103, Book of Common Prayer

Order of Worship for Evening (Vespers), p. 109, Book of Common Prayer

Evening Prayer, Rite 2, page 115, Book of Common Prayer

Compline (Night Prayer), Page 127, Book of Common Prayer

Daily Devotionals, page 136, Book of Common Prayer