Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Ash Wednesday Quote of the Week

Ashes remind us, with a shock, that we are God's creation, made for God, and not the other way around. Ashes remind us of the brevity of the gift of life, and the grace of eternal life in the heart of God. Ashes remind us that we are born to live, really live, before we die. Ashes remind us of a resolve to a Lent, and a lifetime, of a more authentic relationship with Jesus the Christ. For reasons like these it does not occur to us that we participate in a "strange" custom of ashes and dust. To the contrary. With hearts full of awe, we seek gold and God in the dust. --Douglass Bailey

Ash Wednesday thus marks the beginning of Lent. In the Old Testament, people mourned their sin and repented of it in "sackcloth and ashes."

Today is a day that we confront our own mortality when our foreheads are marked with the sign of the cross and we hear the words, "Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return." This can be a painful acknowledgement. There can be a sense of sadness at having to let go of some thing we cling to so closely.

Yet today is also a chance to make a space for God. Lent can help us get in touch with our own brokenness and mortality and sinfulness, so that Christ can make us whole in every way.
  • What do you make of the quote above?
  • What practices will you be taking up this Lent to help create a space for God?
  • Is there anything you will be giving up this Lent to help you make a space for God?
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2 comments:

  1. CraigFebruary 25, 2009 at 3:52 PM

    Thanks for the reflection. In the past I've given up a physical habit, like Cokes or coffee or chocolate, but this year I feel called to go deeper than that. I will be working to change my response to people who "push my buttons." Rather than getting angry and lashing out, it is my resolution to respond out of the love and compassion of Christ.

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  2. MrsVFebruary 28, 2009 at 12:59 PM

    Expect a full frontal attack from the Father of Lies, Craig. Try to have a sense of humor about it. Seriously. Should be interesting.

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