Ash Wednesday February 18, 2026 [Readings and Psalm] Joel 2:1–2, 12–17 ⠂Psalm 51:1–17 ⠂Matthew 6:1–6, 16–21 ⠂2 Corinthians 5:20b–6:10 Introduction — The Cross We Wear Today Today we carry a mark that’s hard to miss—a dark cross, right on our forehead, where everyone else can see it before we can. It tells the truth about us: our limits, our humanity, our belonging to God. And into that truth, we hear these rich scriptures from Joel, the psalmist, Jesus, and Paul. Each one urg