I was struck most deeply in the Ash Wednesday devotional today by the last paragraph (adapted): “It is more than ritual, it is an invitation for ongoing transformation. It is the gift and challenge of Ash Wednesday and this season — to face our brokenness so we can be made whole again.” Facing our brokenness is challenging and scary. It takes a deep commitment to look into ourselves, learning who we really are and facing it. Today’s meditation from www.cac.org reflects on Jesus emptying himself. We tend to cling to our brokenness even though is feels painful, but once we recognize our it, we are invited to empty ourselves of it, forgiving ourselves and accepting God’s forgiveness. The promise of the gospels is that the empty place will be filled with abundant love that we may share with the world — our own transformation.
Read about Jesus self-emptying and the the how he shared his love with “abundance and generosity bordering on extravagance” at https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#inbox/FMfcgzGrcjRLHqftKqmggXjTKXNkxVKl
Thank you for sharing those thoughts, JulieAnn. I've never thought of letting go as "emptying" so that God can fill me, but I find that perspective helpful.