MANCHESTER, NH – This Wednesday (February 18), the Christian calendar begins the season of Lent with “Ash Wednesday,” when some people go to church and get that ash cross marked on their foreheads. Apart from the religious ritual of the moment, the day itself offers a moment to pause and reflect: What exactly is my orientation toward the world, toward a higher power, towards myself?
Within the cultural moment we find ourselves, I am increasingly concerned that we are slowly but surely losing our humanity, both individually and collectively. In our city, we face the fear of ICE raids, the development of an internment camp for those deemed illegal from our neighborhoods, the fraught tensions between families and neighbors over political realities, the rising cost of housing and food, the increased awareness of the sheer trauma of life experienced by those around us, seasoned with the ever so helpful algorithm of social media to commoditize our impulses, desires, and attention to string us out. In our own ways, each of us feels the strain of burnout and the pressure to pay the bills alongside a continued desire to be present to those we love. Some of us face a profound sense of exhaustion, loneliness, and isolation. Others feel indignant that our neighbors “just can’t get it,” and we find ourselves leading lives of resentment or cynicism. This is what I mean by “losing our humanity.” We are in danger of reducing our humanity to bare survival at the expense of the expansive liberation of being fully human.
And so, when considering Ash Wednesday, let me offer a simple definition: Ash Wednesday is an invitation to soberly reflect on who we are and whose we are. It is to ask the question in an intentional way, “What does it mean to be human, and how do I honor and enjoy the fullness of this reality?” To put it in religious terms, “Harden not your heart” during Lent is a biblical call (from Psalm 95 and Hebrews 3) to remain open and responsive to God’s voice, resisting the spiritual deafness and stubbornness that keep us from responding to those most in need of love. Lent itself is an ancient Christian practice, handed down over centuries, meant to train our hearts through prayer, fasting, and repentance to become more attentive to God and one another. This call encourages us to keep our hearts soft, listening, and turned toward God rather than closed off by fear, cynicism, or self-sufficiency, even amid life’s difficulties, allowing space for spiritual growth and deeper connection.
With this in mind, myself and a few of my colleagues in the Contemplative Action Network will be in front of City Hall this Ash Wednesday from 8-10 a.m. to offer “Ashes to Go.” This is a moment for you to consider: Who am I? and Whose am I? We will be available for anyone who would benefit from this moment on the go, especially for those who struggle with church or God or religion, who desire a new relationship with God and are seeking a spiritual life that is more contemplative and rooted in ancient practices. We’ll be at the yellow “Ashes to Go” sign to offer a reflective moment, and to impose ashes if you desire, with the blessing, “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return,” “Repent and believe the good news,” or “go forth and change your life.”
Additionally, with us will be a simple card with an icon for you to reflect on, along with a prayer. The prayer on the back of the card is based on the work of Gustavo Gutiérrez, a liberation theologian who recently passed away. We use this prayer in our morning prayer during the week, and offer it to our community as a way of considering where God is meeting us in this moment:
Liberating Christ,In leaving the glory of heaven and taking on the fullness of human flesh, You loved all people by Your death and resurrection to bring us into the freedom of Your life:
Grant us Your freedom to go out of ourselves, break down our selfishness and all the structures that support our selfishness, that we might enjoy this freedom in openness to others, and live in the fullness of Your liberation, the free gift of Christ our Lord, in the fullness of Your Holy communion with God and all other human beings.
Amen.
As noted before, if you would like to receive ashes, we will be in front of City Hall from 8-10am on Wednesday, February 18, 2026 with a sign “Ashes to Go.” Additionally, for any one who is interested, the Contemplative Action Network will be hosting an Ash Wednesday service at Grace Episcopal Church, 106 Lowell St., Manchester, at 12 p.m.
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