Ash Wednesday - The Rev. Colette Hammesfahr
Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21 – February 18, 2026 – Ash Wednesday Have you figured out what you’re doing yet? You know…..the question we all ask each other on Ash Wednesday…..what are you giving up for Lent? Do you have your answer? Have you decided? A few years ago, a priest told his congregation on the Sunday before Lent, “This year I’m giving up complaining.” He lasted until Tuesday. By Wednesday morning, he had already complained about traffic, emails, and the weather. So he tried something different. Instead of trying to stop complaining, he decided that every time he caught himself complaining, he would say one prayer of gratitude instead. He didn’t eliminate the habit overnight. But he began to notice something — the act of adding gratitude slowly changed the tone of his heart. By Easter, he said, “I didn’t become a person who never complains. I became a person who notices grace more quickly.” Many of us grew up being told to give something up for Lent. No chocolate. No soda. N...