Fire and Ash

…all our Wednesdays are marked by ashes —

     we begin this day with that taste of ash in our mouth:

       of failed hope and broken promises,

       of forgotten children and frightened women,

     we ourselves are ashes to ashes, dust to dust;

     we can taste our mortality as we roll the ash around on our tongues.

We are able to ponder our ashness with

   some confidence, only because our every Wednesday of ashes

   anticipates your Easter victory over that dry, flaky taste of death.

On this Wednesday, we submit our ashen way to you —

   you Easter parade of newness.

   Before the sun sets, take our Wednesday and Easter us,

     Easter us to joy and energy and courage and freedom;

     Easter us that we may be fearless for your truth.

   Come here and Easter our Wednesday with

     mercy and justice and peace and generosity.

We pray as we wait for the Risen One who comes soon.

-Walter Bruggemann

Ash Wednesday, one day that reminds us, if we let it, of the fire that can burst from our hearts, but not destroy it.  Like the burning bush in the wilderness, we are aflame with God.  Surely there were some ashes beneath that tree.

When Moses took his shoes off, did he step upon hot ash ?

Did that heat scare him ; cause him to tell the Lord that he was the wrong person for the job ? 

Does the heat of God’s desire scare me ? Do I turn away and run head long into the cold indifference which may feel better-at least for now ?

As we contemplate a Holy Lent this day and this season, let us welcome the fire of the living God.  We have come not just from ashes and dust, but also from fire and light.  Lent is a time to consider our true nature as God’s beloved children made of cosmic dust, and spent earth, and brilliant starlight.  

 We are all of these.

In Lent we can join with others who want to shed themselves of the weight of pretending that we are less than we actually are. 

How shall you discover yourself this Lent ?

Blessings,

Debra