It is hard to believe Lent is nearly upon us, but on February 18th we will be celebrating Ash Wednesday, the beginning of a season of penitential contemplation. The whole idea of a season of penitence creates a tension within our Christian faith. If we are saved by Christ’s sacrifice on the cross and received into his family in our baptism, why set aside a season focused on our sin?

Luther described this tension with the phrase, simul justus et peccator — “at the same time righteous and sinner.” Though our Father in heaven sees us clothed in the righteousness of Christ, yet we know and experience our sinfulness daily, and we will until Christ comes again. Lent, therefore, is a season that allows the Church to humbly repent to reflect on Christ’s saving sacrifice. It is no accident that Lent leads us into Holy Week, where we celebrate the Crucifixion and Resurrection of our Lord.

I had never seen the imposition of ashes until I moved to New York. On Ash Wednesday, people throughout the city went about their business with these smudged crosses on their foreheads—carrying with them both a reminder of their sinfulness and a public profession of their faith.

The imposition of ashes does three things for us. First, they remind us of our sin. Second, it reminds us of our mortality. God warned Adam that if he ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil that he would die. The words we speak when imposing the ashes is what God declared to Adam after the fall, “You are dust and to dust you shall return.” (Genesis 3:19) These words confront us with the wages of sin. Third—and most importantly— the ashes are placed in the sign of the cross. Because we belong to Christ, we are not only sinners but saints, redeemed by His death.

Yes, Lent is a season of reflection and repentance. We may even choose to fast as an additional reminder of this. But, like the cross that is traced upon our foreheads, Lent points us to Christ—the One who died so that we might live.

✝️ Pastor Deming

The full newsletter can be found here:
https://www.faithmoorpark.com/files/pdf/2026/2026-02-Newsletter.pdf

The account of the wise men visiting the Christ child is a post-Christmas event that launches the season of Epiphany. It is celebrated on January 6, and the text can be found in Matthew 2:1-12.

Throughout this season, we see the divine nature of Christ manifested in different ways. To the wise men, his unique nature was first manifested by a star. We don’t know exactly what this star was, but it inspired these wise men from the east to follow it. They recognized in its appearance that a new king of the Jews had been born.

According to the Herod’s scribes in Jerusalem, this child would be born in Bethlehem as the prophet Micah had prophesied. When the wise men left Jerusalem, they rejoiced to see that the star has reappeared and would guide them all the way to the newborn child.

Finding the child, the wise men bowed down and worship him. From the miraculous star they knew this child was special. They might not fully understand the incarnation, but God's divine hand and purpose is clearly upon him.

The wise men were gentiles from the east, and in sending them the star, God showed the entire world that this little Jewish child had come for all people. This little child would be king. But as He would say years later to Pilate, “My kingdom is not of this world.” Indeed, He rules over all creation. This child is worthy of having everyone from all nations bow down and worship him.

Herod had told the wise men to return and tell him where he could find the child. But in a dream, God told them to go home by another way. They had the choice to obey man or obey God. Thankfully, and rightly, they obeyed God.

The wise men should bring us great comfort. Through them, God announced that the long-promised Jewish Messiah came, not just for the Jews, but for you and for me. They can also serve as a reminder of how best to order our lives—to put obedience to God first over all other considerations.

God sent a star to guide the wise men to His Son. God gave us His Word to guide us to His Son. Finding Him in the waters of baptism, in the Word, and in the Sacrament of the Altar, let us also bow down and worship Him.

✝️ Pastor Deming

The full newsletter can be found here:
https://www.faithmoorpark.com/files/pdf/2026/2026-01-Newsletter.pdf