Ashes in a World on Fire by Rev. Gilbert Martinez, Ash Wednesday February 18th, 2026

when the ashes are traced on our foreheads, let us hear them say, you are dust, and to dust you shall return, but you are also beloved, And you are called, called to stand, called to act, called to love, called to move your treasure, your heart, your life into the work of healing and hope. [00:10:59] (34 seconds)  #CalledToHeal

May the ashes remind us of mortality? Yes. But more importantly, may they remind us of the mission. May they remind us that we are dust. Yes. But dust carry sparks. Dust can rise. Dust can become life giving fire in the world, not destructive fire. And may our treasure, our hearts, find its home in God, [00:11:56] (28 seconds)  #DustCarrySparks

May they remind us that we are dust. Yes. But dust carry sparks. Dust can rise. Dust can become life giving fire in the world, not destructive fire. And may our treasure, our hearts, find its home in God, in mercy, in justice, in love, and in the courage to care for a world that is on fire, we are present. [00:12:04] (34 seconds)  #RiseWithMercy

This Ash Wednesday, in a world on fire, we do not tremble in fear. We tremble with awe and accountability. We tremble with courage. We tremble with the knowledge that we are part of God's work in the world. May the ashes remind us of mortality? Yes. [00:11:34] (26 seconds)  #AweAndAccountability

Ashes in a world on fire are a call to courage. They are the smoke signal of repentance. They are the embers that remind us what must die in us so that life can rise in the world. Indifference, fear, complacency, the desire to be seen rather than to serve, [00:09:52] (27 seconds)  #EmbersOfRepentance

the desire to be seen rather than to serve, the temptation to turn away while children cry, while immigrants tremble, while neighbors suffer in silence. Ash Wednesday is the day we remember that repentance is not private self improvement. Repentance is alignment. [00:10:16] (20 seconds)  #RepentanceIsAlignment

Ash Wednesday is the day we remember that repentance is not private self improvement. Repentance is alignment. Alignment with God, alignment with justice, alignment with life. Private devotion that fuels public courage, secret fasting that beats mercy, in prayer that unleashes justice. This is the righteousness Jesus commands. [00:10:27] (30 seconds)  #PrivateDevotionPublicCourage

Tonight, as we receive the ashes, let us not merely mark our foreheads. Let us mark our hearts. Let us mark our priorities. Let us declare that our treasure is not in appearances, not in safety at the expense of the vulnerable, not in applause, not in quiet self preservation. [00:09:29] (23 seconds)  #MarkHeartsNotForeheads