Wednesday is Ash Wednesday for much of the Christian world. Many of us will experience an anointing of the ashes, tomorrow. These are the ashes of last years Palm Sunday palms. (Palm Sunday – a week before Easter for the Christian - the day Jesus road into Jerusalem in triumph, only to be crucified five days later and resurrected three days after that.)
The palms used to welcome the king become the ashes that welcome us into the season of Lent. It is a time, as a clergy friend of mine says, "to confess our willful participation in the things that bring death not life." A good mediation for all of Lent I'd say. One short life in the days of the planet; our part is very minor by those standards.
The words that come to me each year are, "Remember, O human, that you are dust, and unto dust you shall return." Genesis3:19. Ashes to ashes and dust to dust. Fairly humbling, wouldn't you say? Well, we could all use a big dose of the 'humbles'.
I invite us all into 40 days of reflection about our life and the places of our lack of humility. I invite you to join me in my Lenten reflection. Among others things, I will be watching for that one time (at least) everyday when I need to say, "Well, I could be wrong." Won't you join me, who knows, maybe that would awaken a new civic spirit?
One short life in the days of the planet; our part is very minor by those standards. Yet, we are reminded, one life can lead to glorious.
