Sermons (Page 156)

Tomorrow is officially two months away from the tax filling deadline. As this deadline approaches this year, a large number of people will be in shock. No, it won’t be a bigger-than-expected refund. No, it won’t be a larger-than-expected payment. In fact, they will find that someone else using their identity has already filed their taxes. Sources say that identity theft and tax fraud are on the rise this year. In today’s reading from Luke we see a biblical version of identity theft.

“This year Ash Wednesday is early. It feels so early. We are still cleaning up after Super Bowl parties and Valentine’s Day is yet to come. Then, in the middle of it all, Ash Wednesday grabs our attention. For me it feels a bit unexpected and abrupt. I’m not quite ready for it. But ready of not, here it is! Today we walk around with ashes smudged on our foreheads. People line up in droves at “L” stations, schools, hospitals, and churches to be reminded that they are dust. One day a year Christianity collectively remember our mortality and death.”

“If you’re a football fan, and especially if you’re a Carolina Panthers or a Denver Broncos fan, today is your day! While sports in general don’t often excite me, I am captivated by the football fans that have a passion for the finer things, like tailgating. While I’ve never tailgated before, I hear that it’s quite an experience. The die-hard tailgaters park in the same spot year after year. Food, drinks, and a good grill are essentials, I’m told. It is about gathering together with others, spending time in one place, and, in one sense, camping out – even if tents are not allowed.”