Ash Wednesday – February 18, 2026– Sr. Betty Smoyer, SNDdeN Matthew 6: 1-6, 16-18 We walk together into Lent today. At each day’s news, our hearts and souls lie in pieces on the floor. We see the walls towering before us. And yet, we walk together into Lent today. We carry the sinful burden of systemic “othering” of one another. Anger and hatred accompany us. Their offspring, Fear, withers Love in the space within and between us. “The human heart is the most important frontier to conquer in the struggle for human dignity. Once the heart is softened, shifts in social norms are seen as logical and rational.” Across that Bridge by John Lewis. p. 97 +++++++++++++ Find a pause in the rhythm of your life. Sit quietly. Slowly read the following passages. Which one(s) shimmer in your heart? Pick one of the shimmering phrases and sit with it for a while in the quiet. Repeat it during your day. Say it before you go to sleep tonight and when you wake up in the morning. Carry it with you for the rest of this week, for the rest of Lent. Wisdom 11. 24, 25-27 “…you have mercy on all, […]