02/18/2026
Ash Wednesday – The Sanctity of Life (John 3:4-8, 16-17)
by Rev. A. Daniel Guagenti
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)
In his great work “On the Trinity,” Augustine of Hippo wrote of Jesus, “He is believed to have been conceived on the 25th of March, upon which day also He suffered; so the womb of the Virgin, in which He was conceived, where no one of mortals was begotten, corresponds to the new grave in which He was buried, wherein was never man laid, neither before Him nor since.”
Only occasionally does March 25 mark both the Feast of the Annunciation and Good Friday, the day the ancients believed Jesus’ life both began and ended. Regardless, scholars question the historical accuracy of this tradition; after all, the Bible does not specify which date Jesus was born or died. What the Bible specifies clearly is the purpose of Jesus’ incarnation and death. Jesus came to this world to die for this world. He came to live a life fulfilling the Law so He could offer His life for all who have broken the Law. Augustine’s dates may be off, but his point is spot on. The Jesus who hallowed the virgin’s womb also hallowed the virgin tomb. This Jesus sanctifies all lives and provides the way out of death.
So we Christians approach life, our neighbors’ lives, and death differently from the world when our faith and love are perfected by knowledge of Christ (Philippians 1:9). Christ Jesus is the life of all the living. He is the life of the blessed dead who live in Him.
As we approach Good Friday, the 40 days of Lent are a time of self-discipline. These devotions aim to help us discipline our minds so that when we see the struggles in our own lives, we see the life of Christ working all to good; so that when we see our neighbor, no matter his skin color or gender or level of development, we see the life of Christ, Savior of the nations; so that when we see the boasting of death, we see the life of Christ, triumphant in resurrection.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, give us eyes to see You, the life of all the living! Amen.
The above devotion was taken from:
Christ the Life of All the Living - A Lenten Devotional Booklet
https://www.cph.org/catalog/product/view/id/31477/s/christ-the-life-of-all-the-living-a-lenten-devotional-booklet/
“As we approach Good Friday, the 40 days of Lent are a time of self-discipline. These devotions aim to help us discipline our minds so that when we see the struggles in our own lives, we see the life of Christ working all to good; so that when we see our neighbor, no matter his skin color or gender or level of development, we see the life of Christ, Savior of the nations; so that when we see the boasting of death, we see the life of Christ, triumphant in resurrection.” Rev. A. Daniel Guagenti, Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Shelbyville, Kentucky
Devotional topics include:
The Sanctity of Life
The Two Kingdoms
Adoption
Abortion
Creation
Gender
Family Planning
Marriage
Parents
Infertility
Infant Faith
Sexuality
Reproductive Technologies
Addiction
Overpopulation
R**e and In**st
Perinatal Diagnosis
Conception
Post-Abortion Healing
Disability
Su***de
Life Support
Unplanned Pregnancy
Biotechnology
Singleness
Just War
Respectful Disagreement
Terminal Illness
Surrogacy
Chastity & Modesty
Assisted Su***de
Healthcare
Men and Nature
Miscarriage
Problem Pregnancy
The Cult of Youth
Residential Care
Transhumanism
Death
Suffering & Grief
Resurrection
