Looking into the lectionary - For Ash Wednesday...

Matthew 4:1-11 First Sunday of Lent February 22, 2026 Jazz legend Louis Armstrong’s voice uniquely intones, “Nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen. Nobody knows but Jesus.” The author is unknown, but the song is attributed to the oral tradition of enslaved communities in the US. It is a testament to a people’s resilience in the face of great adversity and turmoil. The song is not a sorrow song but a song of joy that affirms Jesus’s solidarity with those who suffer. We are in the first week of Lent, which is a time of testing. Beginning with Ash Wednesday, when we are reminded of our own mortality, we enter the story alongside Jesus as he is lured into the wilderness to be tempted by an adversary. This year feels especially Lent-y to me, so it does not take too much imagination to feel like you’re in the desert, pondering the current state of our world. Our text from Matthew’s gospel tells us it is the Spirit who leads Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted. This excursion immediately follows Jesus’s baptism, showing how the Spirit’s presence descending upon him compels him into a time of refinement before his ministry begins In Matthew’s Gospel, it is clear that the Spirit is the animating force of Jesus’s ministry. And rather than leading Jesus away from the chaos, the Spirit sends Jesus directly into it. How ironic that we pray, “lead us not into temptation,” when that is exactly what the Spirit does here! Jesus is tested in three places: the wilderness, the pinnacle of the temple, and a mountaintop. The wilderness was known as a place where evil spirits lurked. The apex of the temple speaks of a place of ultimate religious authority and worship, and the mountaintop is the sacred landscape of the Law. At each of these locations, Jesus is challenged: to make bread in the wilderness, to summon angels at the temple, and to worship the devil on the mountaintop. Each enticement would require Jesus to assert his power. However, each time, Jesus confidently responds to the tempter with Scripture. After the third rebuttal, the devil leaves. ... Read the rest of the commentary at pres-outlook.org. Thank you to this week's writer, Shea Watts. Want the worship resources for February 15, 2026? You can find them here. Order of worship — February 22, 2026 by Shea Watts Even now: an Ash Wednesday lament by Jennifer L. Aycock Empathy as resistance by Matthew Frease 40 community organizing actions you can practice during Lent by Shani Mcilwain IN CASE YOU MISSED IT... Damned Whiteness: How White Christian Allies Failed the Black Freedom Movement "Damned Whiteness" is a sharp call to move beyond White allyship toward real, liberating action, writes Jessica Rigel. Conservative influencers don’t actually believe empathy is toxic Allie Beth Stuckey and Joe Rigney just want to make sure you're empathizing with those they deem worthy of empathy. — Elena Trueba Presbyterians advocate for Haitian neighbors as a federal judge blocks, for now, an end to temporary protective status From Springfield, Ohio, to Spokane, Washington, Presbyterians joined other people of faith to rally for their friends. — Cindy Corell Clipse: Survivor’s guilt and irresistible grace Chris Burton traces Clipse’s catalog as testimony — where survivor’s guilt, grace, and honesty refuse easy narratives. Our longing to be understood Teri McDowell Ott reflects on Leslie Jamison's “The Empathy Exams” to show that real empathy isn’t about fixing pain, but choosing to truly see and understand it. Maine clergy form spiritual ‘shield’ outside workplaces to protect immigrants from ICE Presbyterian clergy join an ecumenical coalition in Maine, forming a daily “spiritual shield” to stand with immigrant workers facing ICE enforcement. — Jack Jenkins Faith leaders gather in Washington, D.C. to urge Senate vote against DHS funding Faith In Action coalition of 40 faith-based organizations and dozens of denominations join in advocacy and action. — Gregg Brekke Celebrating Ash Wednesday on fraternity row Trip Porch and Indianola Presbyterian Church partner with fraternities at The Ohio State University to host an outdoor Ash Wednesday service. A daily Lenten devotional Explore how to live faithfully amid division and uncertainty through Matthew’s Gospel.