As any parent or grandparent knows, one of a child’s favorite requests is “Tell me a story.” And as most of us know, many stories begin with “Once upon a time.” Lent, too, is a time for telling a story, or maybe it’s remembering a story that has been told to us again and again. It’s a story we love; a story of deep meaning to those of us who practice our faith. It is a love story, although not primarily a romantic love story. It is a story with battles and peacemaking; a story of winning and losing; a story of trying and running away; a story of failing and succeeding.

This evening we begin the season of Lent, a time of contemplation, fasting, confession, prayer, and sometimes, weeping. We use the ashes to symbolize the letting go of our sins, to mark us as those who seek salvation and a reconciled relationship with God. Often we focus so much on the darkness of our desolation and separation from God, that we are dour. We lament and mourn, but we forget to acknowledge the hope that comes from such practices.