Ash Wednesday Message by Pastor Joy Matos – 02/18/2026
SUMMARY:
The Lenten season, as presented in this service, is more than a period of abstinence; it is a transformative opportunity to open our hearts as “willing vessels” for divine grace, ensuring we are prepared to meet God not with fear, but with the peace of those who walk in the light. The symbolism of the ashes, as articulated by Pastor Joy, functions as a vivid and tangible reminder of the human condition. The imposition of ashes is not a performance of piety; rather, it is a physical acknowledgment of our sinfulness and our “utter dependence” on God’s grace. Crucially, the ashes carry a heavy existential weight, reminding the believer that our “bodies will not last forever” and that we will one day stand before our Creator. This outward sign facilitates an internal posture of humility, stripping away the pretenses of self-sufficiency.
