Letters From Home Ash Wednesday - Dr. John Bergsma
Feb 18, 2026
A reflection on Ash Wednesday as a joyful start to Lent and a call to interior conversion. Readings from Joel, Psalm 51, 2 Corinthians, and Matthew are highlighted. Themes include repentance, reconciliation with God, secret piety in prayer and fasting, and wearing ashes as a public witness to faith.
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Repentance Is The Door To Salvation
- Ash Wednesday carries an underlying joy because repentance opens the door to salvation.
- Repentance invites God into our lives to transform us from the inside out.
Interior Conversion Over Exterior Display
- Joel emphasizes interior conversion: "rend your hearts, not your garments."
- The prophet's timeless call fits liturgical uses for communal repentance.
A Clean Heart Is The Goal
- Psalm 51 stresses a clean heart and the gift of the Holy Spirit as the basis for true repentance.
- Biblical tradition links inner cleansing (circumcising the heart) to the new covenant and baptismal renewal.
