by Fran Pratt
God,
We revel in your expansive grace;
We bask in your boundless love;
We delight in the excess of your blessings to us.
As Christ turned water to wine at Cana,
So You are spreading out a bountiful feast for Your people.
We acknowledge that your kingdom is
always expanding
always welcoming
always inviting
always growing
always blessing
always filling.
We acknowledge that in Your presence there is always
a joyful song
a chorus of worship
a fountain of life.
We acknowledge that your attitude toward us is always
joyful celebration
unconditional love
wholehearted acceptance.
The universe is bursting, drunk with Your love.
Our hearts are plump, satisfied with Your love.
Our lives are filled up, ripe with Your blessing.
May we live our lives in the fullness of joy.
Amen
Shrove Tuesday is the day before Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent in the Western Church. “Shrove” means to hear a confession, assign penance, and absolve from sin. Shrove Tuesday is a reminder that we are entering a season of penance.
It is also known as Fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras (which is simply French for Fat Tuesday). In Italy, Fat Tuesday is known as carnevale-goodbye to meat-from which we get our English word carnival. Traditionally people held one last rich feast, using up perishables like eggs, butter and milk before the fast of Lent began. Now in some places, like New Orleans, this has become a huge celebration that really has nothing to do with the beginning of Lent.