Readings for Ash
Wednesday :
Joel 2:1-2, 12-17; Mt. 6:1-6, 16-21
March 5, 2003
The Rev. Karen Siegfriedt
St. Jude the Apostle Episcopal Church, Cupertino,
CA
We are all going to die! That is for certain. Some of us will live to a ripe old age, some will die in midlife, and others will die young. What all human beings have in common is that our bodies will eventually give up breathing and will return to the earth. The sooner we accept this fact of life, the better off we will be. Ash Wednesday is a time when we remember our mortality. In a few moments, ashes will be placed on your foreheads while the following words are said: "Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return."
Why do we do this? I think one of the reasons that we need to be reminded of our death is so that we can choose to live while we still have time. Most of us end up dying before we are fully born. This is one of the great spiritual tragedies facing our planet. Once we realize that we are going to die some day, we may be more willing to reflect on how we want to spend the rest of our life, living. How do you want to spend the rest of your life? Are you doing what you feel called to do? Are you being faithful to your baptismal covenant? Do you want to be part of alleviating the suffering in the world or even making sure that you do not add to the suffering of the world? What proactive disciplines have your undertaken to heal any inner wounds and hurts? What issues, attitudes, or cravings do you have that prevent you from leading an abundant life? These are questions that all Christians need to ask themselves on a regular basis. It is called self-reflection.
Each year, the Church sets aside several weeks, during which we intentionally reflect on our lives, repent of those attitudes and actions that are selfish and hurtful, and then consciously turn our hearts toward God. This season of reflection is called the season of Lent and it begins today. During this Ash Wednesday Liturgy we will say the Litany of Penitence. All of us have sinned by our own fault, in thought, word, and deed...by what we have done and by what we have left undone. This is why the state of the Union and the World is in such shambles.
When the word sin is mentioned, there is no telling what comes to mind. Some people think of actions that they have done that are mean-spirited. Others think of attitudes (such as jealousy or anger) that they carry around in their hearts which ultimately affect their own quality of their life. Others reflect on their ignorance and their unwillingness to become actively involved in making this world a better place. In this litany, the Prayer Book has laid out for us, a variety of attitudes, actions, and failures that have hurt and destroyed the creatures of God over the centuries. Please read over this litany during this season of Lent as a spiritual discipline to become a more conscious and compassionate individual.
There is so much suffering in the world that could be prevented. For those of you who are moved with compassion, whether it is from seeing or experiencing suffering and woundedness, the litany of penitence is a sign of hope. Why hope? As we turn away from self-indulgent appetites and hurtful way, we tend to act from a place of love rather than from a place of fear, thus paving the way for a better world. This movement from fear to love is another word for repentance.
In todayıs reading from the book of Joel, the people of ancient Israel are trying to understand why there was so much suffering in their world. The prevailing theology of the ancient Hebrews was that God was a God of justice. If the people failed to obey their covenant with God, then they would be punished in order for justice to be served. Some of the stories from the Old Testament thus portray God as the ultimate judge who sends down lightening bolts and plagues to punish those who had sin. But along with God's character of justice, Joel also portrays God as a God of mercy. Mercy is that quality of life that allows for mistakes to be made and new beginnings to be realized. Repentance is a plea for mercy and forgiveness.
Today we realize that there is not an absolutely direct relationship between those who do bad things and those who suffer the consequences. Bad things happen to good people and good things happen to bad people. However, the laws of nature are such, that we are very interconnected to each other. It has been said that if you cut a blade of grass, it can disturb the universe. Often times, it takes years for a society to feel the impact of its hard-heartedness and selfish ways. What we do now, good or bad, ultimately has an impact on the quality of life whether it is during our lifetime or in future generations. For instance, pollution of the environment decades ago, is having a field day today. Past injustices in the world's economic practices and social institutions are now having an impact on many angry, young, unemployed men in the Middle East who have turned to fundamentalism as a solution.
I do not look at Ash Wednesday as a time of darkness and guilt. Instead, I see this day as a sign of hope; hope for the time when all of God's creation is on the same page, working together for the same goals, realizing the interconnectedness of life, and making decisions from a place of love rather than a place of fear. So as the ashes are being placed on your forehead today, remember that we are on this planet only for a short time. Make a commitment to being fully born before you die. "Holy God, be in my mind that I might let go of all that diminishes the movement of Your Spirit within me. Discerning God, be in my eyes, that I might see you in the midst of all the business that fills my life. Loving God, be in my heart, that I can be open to those I love, to those with whom I share ministry and to the whole human family. Gracious God, be in that grace-filled silence that lives deep within me, that I might live in Christ as Christ lives in me. Amen."*
*Lenten Reflections 2003, Credo, Memphis TN.
| Updated 3/8/03 |
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