March 1, 2017 - Ash Wednesday - Opening Up God's Gifts, Praying They Open Us Up

Here we are, present in the mystery of this season, starting another 40 day journey where we reflect on 40 days and time in the wilderness. Where we also think about 40 years and a time in exile. Where we finally are marked by and wear the ashes of the palms we burnt from last year's Palm Sunday.

In what was perhaps this first defined liturgical season, we are reminded of our sinfulness. We find ourselves humbly desiring repentance and renewal. Job 42: 5-6  "My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.”

This is a time to turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel, remembering that we are dust and to dust we shall return. Historically, this is a time of preparation and teaching in the church. This is our time for prayer, fasting and giving. As Americans, constantly running into and living out our current piece of the American Dream, we can easily buy into the larger-than-life myth of being independent, self-made and alone in our lives. What we practice in church today is, hopefully, beyond some guilt-ridden diet plan to will ourselves away from a chocolate craving. Instead it is a deep expression of a holy recognition and longing.

Something else within our psyches can be activated here and now. This can be our acknowledgment that we are part of a tribe, community minded and dependent and, simultaneously, more than a tribe in a belief that we are all unified in being God's beloved children.

Pastor Michelle's sermon link is here.

The practice of ash imposition provides perspective for questions and statements we can ponder:

Would I kill for ash?
Would I die for ash?
What am I willing to pay for ash?
How far will I go for ash?

I am ash.
You are ash.
Every one every where, ash.
Our ideas and systems and structures and models and laws and ethics and faith are ash too.
God is ash.

The ash meets us where we are. Do we think we have something of value to protect? This is not a cynical endeavor and these questions are not meant to be rhetorical. We have sung Kelly Carlisle's Quiet Our Souls on past Ash Wednesdays and, contemplating these questions, I'm taken to the same place of mystery as when the congregation sings Kelly's song together.

Kelly's Kyrie opened what felt like a very intimate service. The Imposition of Ashes felt much more like confirmation of a God-given blessing than in past years. Pastor Michelle's Message emphasized this as well. She said God's gifts to us need to be used to be fully received, that opening God's gifts to us open us as well.

The Dismissal was moving:

Marked with the cross of Christ,
Go forth to love and serve the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Amen