Remembering Ash Wednesday as We Prepare for the Season of Lent
Dean Jason Curry • Feb 14, 2018

 I know many people who were looking forward to a break, and they were equally excited about spending it in New Orleans. The music, food and carnival associated with Mardi Gras are legendary, and the students of today are as interested in experiencing this cultural event with the same enthusiasm and excitement of previous generation. As a University Chaplain, I’ve expressed my reservations about their decision to attend the event, but, given the magnetic pull that the festival has on creative imaginations, my ten minute conversations with them are primarily limited to safely issue and the religious significance of the event. The Carnival Season has come to an end, and Ash Wednesday began on Wednesday, February 14, 2018. In a previous year, I heard a student say: “Yeah Dean, I’m going to have as much fun as I can because Lent is right around the corner, and I won’t able to do anything.” I reminded him that it was possible to have fun and refrain from sin, but more importantly, I was pleased to see that he remembered that Ash Wednesday was a scared day because it marks the beginning of a new Christian season in preparation for remembering that blessed Easter morning.

               Many churches continue to recognize the significance of Ash Wednesday by holding morning or evening worship services. Several years ago, I remember attending a worship service during which the pastor the church used ashes to paint a cross on my forehead. Historically, the ashes were made from the unused and burnt palms from the previous Palm Sunday. Ash Wednesday denotes a time of penance in which we ask forgiveness from God for the sins that we have committed by omission or commission. As the first day in the season of Lent, it marks the beginning of a spiritual season of fasting, praying and reflecting on the meaning of Easter for our daily lives. Ash Wednesday unites us with church all over the world, and it affords us the opportunity to become closer to Christ by placing the symbol of the cross on our foreheads. I agree with Paul who said in Romans 1:16, Paul says: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” As we prepare to enter the season of Lent, let us remembers the historical and spiritual significance of Ash Wednesday. If our schedules will not afford us the opportunity to have a cross of ashes painted on our foreheads, let us hold fast to the cross of redemption in our hearts and we pause to consider the great price that Jesus paid for us. Amen.


The Grumblings Associated with Effective Leadership: Staying the Course

By Dean Jason Curry • 26 Feb, 2020
I was blessed to have had the opportunity to be raised by someone who participated in the Civil Rights Movement. My uncle, Mr. Bob Gore, who is much like a father to me, marched with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and many others during the 1960’s. I continue to be amazed by the heroic and unprecedented sacrifices made by both the leaders and the participants of the Civil Rights Movement. To my surprise, Mr. uncle informed me that many African-Americans and white Americans did not participate in “The Movement.” Some people were resistant to Dr. King’s leadership because they were concerned about their employment or their physical well-being (e.g., it was possible to become injured or killed while marching). Like the Hebrews in Moses’ day, people “grumbled” against Dr. King (see Exodus 16:2). Nevertheless, Dr. King, additional leaders of the Movement and many followers stayed the course. The criticisms of white clergy (see Dr. King’s “Letter from the Birmingham Jail”) , the threats and acts of violence, the loss of income and the ostracization by family members or friends did not dissuade them from their mission. The leaders often heard the “grumblings” of the people; however, they held on to their purpose. My uncle’s commitment to assisting African-Americans in the process of attaining our Civil Rights would prove to be instrumental in my character development and sense of political consciousness. I am eternally grateful for his involvement in my life. Leadership is a challenging phenomenon. Undoubtedly, leaders are essential for the cohesion of society. People need leaders, and in the absence of ethical and visionary leadership, the historical record throughout the world has proven that people will following myopic, ineffective, unethical and seemingly incompetent leaders. Moses and his brother Aaron were competent, ethical, divinely-inspired and visionary leaders; however, the people often “grumbled” against them. At one point, the Hebrews criticized Moses, and wished that he had not freed from slavery in Egypt (Exodus 13:3). Moses listened, but depersonalized their grumblings. Essentially, he said: “You are not grumbling against me, but against the Lord (Exodus 16:8).” Moses loved the people and cared for the people in spite of their grumblings. Moses prayed to the Lord during his challenging, leadership experiences, and the Lord provided the people with manna, which is bread from heaven (Exodus 16:15).” If God has appointed you as a leader at you job, in your home, at your church or in your civic or social organization, I want to encourage you to continue to be an ethical, visionary, competent and divinely inspired leader. Stay the course, even when you hear the grumblings of the people, and watch the Lord provide resources (also known as manna) for you.

When Silence Means Agreement: Supporting four Congresswomen of Color

By Dean Jason Curry • 23 Jul, 2019
As an African-American, I celebrate the recent election of four Congresswomen of color: Representative Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Representative Rashida Tlaib of Michigan and Representative Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts. Even though there were Congresswomen of color leading the nation on Capitol Hill prior to their arrival, their election to the most powerful and prestigious legislative body in the world should be celebrated given the racist and sexist history and extant racist and sexist climate of this country. As a Christian minster, I do not embrace each and every political position championed by these courageous, four women; however, I celebrate their achievements, support their vision for a more inclusive society and support their Constitutional right to dissent and challenge the status quo. Lost in this mainstream discussion about their views which are in opposition to the President, conservative America and racist America is the fact that they are Black people (i.e., people of African descent) whose brilliance, tenacity, vision and diligence earned them a place in history. Their very presence should be cause of celebration for America. I know many people who are affiliated with the Black Church celebrate their historic achievements and/or their current political position(s). I understand that some white, evangelicals cannot or will not celebrate black excellence. However, the caustic, racist, xenophobic political climate that they refuse to denounce poses a threat to both Black life and the Christian message. Much of the rhetoric which appears in national headlines is anti-Christian. For example, the popular chant “Send Her Back” is in direct contradiction to the Christian mandate to love one’s neighbor (Matthew 22:39) and to welcome the stranger (Matthew 25:35). The silence of the church as it concerns the racist, sexist, xenophobic, divisive and dangerous national narrative, means that church is in agreement with it. This silence cripples community, cheapens Christianity, causes faith to falter, truncates the truth, promotes a nihilistic threat to Black life as it dissuades a generation of people from wanting to embrace Christ. If it is not careful, the evangelical church that supports this caustic narrative will be on the wrong side of both human and salvation history. Jesus encouraged humanity to love God and to love our neighbors as we love ourselves (see Matthew 22:34-40). As members of the church universal, we have a Christian mandate to support a narrative which affirms the humanity and dignity of people wherever and however they may be found. As Christian leaders and laity, we must denounce any narrative which seeks to devaluate and dehumanize people. Indeed, we are the salt of the earth (Matthew 5:13). However, if the salt has lost its saltiness, what is it good for (Matthew 5:13)?
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