Ashes remind us that we are made of earth — fragile, temporary, and profoundly sacred. In many spiritual traditions, dust is not a symbol of shame but of origin. We come from the soil of creation, breathed into life by Holy Wisdom. The ashes placed upon our foreheads do not say, “You are unworthy.” They say, “You are human, and you are loved.”
Too often Lent has been framed as a journey of fixing ourselves or proving our worthiness to God. But the Gospel tells a different story. Jesus begins his ministry not by striving, but by hearing the words spoken at his baptism: “You are my beloved.”
Lent begins there for us as well.
Ashes mark not an ending, but a beginning — the courage to live honestly, tenderly, and awake to grace.
Theme: “Know You Are Beloved — and So Is Everyone Else”
Welcome:
Presider: Welcome, beloved community. Today we gather to remember and to reclaim a truth at the heart of the Gospel: we are beloved of God, and so is everyone else. In a world that often measures worth by achievement, status, or conformity, Jesus calls us back to love — the love that fulfills the law and heals relationships.
Let us take a moment to breathe, to arrive fully, and to remember that we stand on holy ground, surrounded by love. Like the Buddhist monks who have walked peacefully through cities and towns in the United States as a quiet witness to compassion and reconciliation, we gather today to walk together in the way of love.
All-loving God, You call us your beloved before we do anything to deserve it. Root us in your love so deeply that our words bring healing, our actions create peace, and our lives reflect your compassion. Teach us to see one another with new eyes, so that your love may rise among us and through us. Amen.
Liturgy of the Word
First Reading: 1 Corinthians 2:9-10
But as it is written: “What eye has not seen, and ear has not heard, and what has not entered the human heart, what the Holy One has prepared for those who love God, “this God has revealed to us through the Spirit.
For the Spirit scrutinizes everything, even the depths of God.
These are the inspired words of Paul to the Corinthians and we respond to them saying Amen.
Responsorial Psalm:Ubi Caritas
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9e_QO1ATho&t=15s
Second Reading: A Mystical Experience by Thomas Merton
In Louisville, at the corner of Fourth and Walnut, in the center of the shopping district, I was suddenly overwhelmed with the realization that I loved all those people, that they were mine and I theirs, that we could not be alien to one another even though we were total strangers. It was like waking from a dream of separateness, of spurious self-isolation in a special world, the world of renunciation and supposed holiness. The whole illusion of a separate holy existence is a dream. . . . This sense of liberation from an illusory difference was such a relief and such a joy to me that I almost laughed out loud. . . . I have the immense joy of being human, a member of a race in which God . . . became incarnate. As if the sorrows and stupidities of the human condition could overwhelm me, now that I realize what we all are. And if only everybody could realize this! But it cannot be explained. There is no way of telling people that they are all walking around shining like the sun. . . . Then it was as if I suddenly saw the secret beauty of their hearts, the depths of their hearts where neither sin nor desire nor self-knowledge can reach, the core of their reality, the person that each one is in God’s eyes. If only they could all see themselves as they really are. If only we could see each other that way all the time. There would be no more war, no more hatred, no more cruelty, no more greed.
These are the inspired words of the mystic, Thomas Merton and the community affirms them by saying: Amen
21“You have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, ‘You shall not murder,’ and ‘whoever murders shall be liable to judgment.’ 22But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgment, and if you insult a brother or sister, you will be liable to the council, and if you say, ‘You fool,’ you will be liable to the hell of fire. 23So when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, 24leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift. 25Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are on the way to court with him, or your accuser may hand you over to the judge and the judge to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. 26Truly I tell you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny. These are the inspired words of the Gospel of Matthew and we respond to them by saying Amen.
Homily: Bridget Mary
Many years ago, during a time of war and deep division, a group of Buddhist monks began walking silently through villages and cities. They walked slowly, mindfully, step by step, carrying no signs, shouting no slogans. Their purpose was simple: to walk for peace.
People who first encountered them often did not understand. Some expected speeches or arguments. Instead, the monks walked in silence, breathing together, attentive to each step. When asked why they walked this way, one monk replied, “Because peace must be lived before it can be spoken.”
As the monks passed through communities filled with fear and anger, something began to shift. People grew quiet. Some joined the walk. Others simply stood and watched. The monks were not trying to convince anyone. They were embodying another way of being — a way rooted in compassion rather than hostility, presence rather than reaction.
Their walking itself became a teaching. Peace was not an idea; it was a practice. Love was not sentimental; it was disciplined attention to how one moved in relationship with others.
A Buddhist monk recently shared the story of completing a fifteen-week walk across the United States for peace. When he finally reached his destination, people asked what he had learned from such a long journey. He answered that peace was not waiting at the end of the road. Peace was created in every step — in every moment he chose patience instead of anger, compassion instead of fear.
This wisdom echoes the heart of today’s Gospel. In Matthew 5, Jesus moves beyond rules and outward observance and invites us into something deeper. It is not enough, he says, simply to avoid harm; we are called to transform the heart itself. Not only “do not kill,” but let go of anger. Not only “do not break relationships,” but live in fidelity, honesty, and compassion. Jesus is teaching us that love is not a destination we reach once and for all. Love is a way of walking.
When we know ourselves as beloved — deeply and unconditionally loved by God — we begin to walk differently. We become more patient with one another. We listen more deeply. We choose reconciliation over resentment. Like the monk walking for peace, each small step matters. Each act of kindness becomes part of God’s healing work in the world.
This is the good news Jesus proclaims: you are beloved — and so is everyone else. From this truth flows the heart of the Gospel. Jesus calls us beyond ritual alone into reconciliation and restored relationship. He teaches, “If you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift.”
Love of God and love of neighbor are one movement of the same grace. When we live from our belovedness, peace is no longer something distant or idealized. It begins here, within us. It takes shape in our willingness to forgive, to listen, to begin again. And step by step, through our thoughts, our words, and our actions, love itself becomes the path we walk together.
In many ways, Jesus is teaching us to walk for peace — to move through our relationships aware that every word, every choice, either deepens love or diminishes it.
And this is where Valentine’s Day meets the Gospel. Love is not only something we feel; it is something we practice. It is how we walk with one another. It is how we choose kindness when anger would be easier. It is how we remember, even in conflict, that the person before us is beloved of God.
When we know ourselves as beloved, we begin to walk differently. And sometimes, without even realizing it, our way of walking becomes a quiet invitation for others to do the same.
That is how the law is fulfilled. That is how peace begins.
Communal Statement of Faith
All: We believe in God, the Source of Life and Love, who creates all people in dignity and beauty.
We believe in Jesus, who revealed God’s love through compassion, justice, and inclusion, and who calls us friends and beloved companions.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, alive in every culture and every heart, guiding us toward healing and unity.
We believe we are called to be a community of equals, living love in action, and building a world where all belong. Amen.
General Intercessions
Response: Loving God, hear our prayer.
•For the Church, that it may reflect God’s inclusive love and welcome all people as beloved…
•For communities divided by fear or anger, that reconciliation and understanding may grow…
•For those who feel unworthy or unseen, that they may know their belovedness…
•For couples, families, and friendships, that love may deepen in patience and kindness…
•For our own community, that our words and actions may bring healing…
Preparation of the Table
Presider: As we bring bread and wine, we also bring our longing for reconciliation, our desire to live truthfully, and our hope to love more deeply.
Eucharistic Prayer
Presider: Holy and loving God, you are always with us, calling us beloved. Through prophets, teachers, and companions of wisdom, you have shown us that love is the fulfillment of every law.
Epiclesis: Bless these gifts of bread and wine and bless us also, that your Spirit may awaken love within us. Make us a living body of compassion in the world.
Consecration: (Presider and All)
On the night before he died, Jesus gathered with friends, took bread, blessed it, broke it, and shared it, saying:
Take and eat. This is my body, given for you. Do this in memory of me.
After supper, he took the cup and said:
Take and drink. This is the cup of the new covenant, poured out in love for all. Do this in memory of me.
Memorial Acclamation:
Together we proclaim:
Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ lives among us now.
Presider: Loving God, make us one in love. May this meal strengthen us to live as people who know they are beloved and who help others know it too.
Through Christ, with Christ, and in Christ, all glory and honor are yours forever.
Loving God, in this shared meal you remind us that we belong to one another. Send us forth renewed in love, ready to heal what is broken, to speak truth with compassion, and to live as your beloved people. Amen.
Gratitude, Introductions, Announcements
Closing Blessing
May the God who calls you beloved bless your heart with peace. May Christ walk beside you in compassion. May the Spirit guide your words and actions in love.
Go forth as people who know they are beloved, walking gently with one another.
As Lent approaches, I find myself longing for a quieter, deeper journey — one that moves into renewal, healing, and love. It is in this spirit that I warmly invite you to join me on Substack for a special Lenten program:
Lent, for me, has become less about giving things up like my favorite desserts- hoping to lose five pounds- and more about returning to the Source of Life that sustains me.
Like a tree drawing nourishment from unseen roots, we too are invited to grow by grounding ourselves more deeply in hope so that love may rise freely within us and among us especially in these stressful times.
In a world that often feels anxious and divided, this season offers a sacred pause — a time to listen again for the quiet voice of the Holy One who calls us toward compassion, courage, and new beginnings.
Through reflections shaped by progressive theology and feminist spirituality, we will explore Lent as a journey of transformation, not through fear or guilt, but through awakening to the love already present in our lives.
Each week from Ash Wednesday through Easter, subscribers will receive:
Prayerful reflections rooted in Scripture and contemporary spirituality
Prayers, blessings, and simple rituals for personal or communal use
Gentle daily reflections to nourish hope and inner peace
Inclusive liturgical resources for individuals and communities
Invitations to reflection that help us grow in compassion and resilience
I am offering this journey because I believe many of us are searching for deeper roots — roots that can sustain us through uncertainty and energize us to rise in love for the healing of our world. This Lenten season, I hope we can walk together, encouraging one another as companions on the path.
If your heart is longing for a Lent grounded in hope, healing, and spiritual renewal, I would be honored to have you join this community.
May this season help us remain rooted in hope and rising in love, one step at a time.
With gratitude and blessings,
Rev. Dr. Bridget Mary Meehan: #Rooted in Hope, Rising in Love
Karen King: Notes from Conversation by Bridget Mary
"I have seen the Lord." Gospel of Mary- Mary Magdalene is similar to text in Gospel of John.
Leading disciple of Jesus, witness to crucifixion, first to encounter Risen Christ in Gospel of John. In antiquity, connection between MM and other unnamed women, two Mary's, and unnamed women, huge tradition of MM as "apostle to the apostles. "
Peter does not understand that salvation is not about gender, it is about the inner person, It is about the one understands the teachings of Jesus - the Human One" humanity that brings salvation. The issue here is whether the rise of the soul is the true path of salvation.
Mary is the faithful disciple, Peter does not get it, he thinks that women are inferior and Jesus would not have revealed special revelation to Mary Magdalene. Meaning of being Human. Also in Paul 2 Cor 4:16 - Physical decays, spiritual renewed day by day. Mary Gospel - Human is one's essential life- being - image of God. Human light is image in which humanity is created- divine image.
Rising of soul as how to understand the spiritual life. How soul is naming its true identity as a child of God, true nature is spiritual, renounces power of false judgment, anger and violence. Turn to the good.... inner spiritual journey overcome powers within and without.
In Gospel of Mary, speak truth to power - Never tallks about God as Father,
Understand the Divine as the good. This is why Jesus said "there is no such thing as sin. :
Evil and sin happens when one turns away from the good, which is God.
Disciples should understand Jesus' teachings and go forth and share good news of truth.
Levi tells disciples after anger exchange with Mary, that they should get over their anger, let get over bickering, and go out and share the good news of the Good.
Hold both women as leaders and as real people in the world today.
Both leadership and vulnerability are in gospel.
Story of Mary Magdalene as a woman leader in the Gospel of Mary is important.
Impact of Gospel the importance of journey we are on - spiritual journey-
Also need to keep the sinner woman in gospel who loved much.
"forgives woman because she has loved much!" She is the one who has found God
Among early Christ followers - debate in communities
What is significance of Jesus teachings, his death, continued experiences of the presence olf his Spirit.
One is Atonement.
Gospel of John, Jesus taught who God is, knew the Father, cross is part of the return to the Father. Same theme of rise of soul to God in Gospel of Mary- spiritual path - mystical tradition through the ages.
Women not worthy of life attributed to Peter in Gospel of Thomas, Jesus, response "I will make her male" In Gospel of Mary, it is make us fully human.
Mary Magdalene as Contemplative Teacher
with Kayleen Asbo as Presenter. Hosted by Justin Coutts. In Search of a New Eden with guests Own Rachel & Julie Holtz
