Ashes

Shouldn't we join her?

Come back to me

ASH WEDNESDAY (25/02)

“Confessing sin, Confronting mortality”

 

INTRODUCTION

 

Today is called ‘Ash Wednesday’ because of the blessing and imposition of ashes following the homily. The usual penitential rite and the Gloria are omitted. Today’s gospel calls us during Lent to the spiritual disciplines of prayer, fasting, and alms giving.

The grace of the sacrament is given us to enable us to know the presence of Jesus with us as we begin our annual pilgrimage to Holy Week and Easter.

 

HOMILY

 

“Come back to me with all your heart” Joel 2.12

 

The ritual of ‘ashing’ we are to observe in just a moment or two is about ‘confessing sin and ‘confronting mortality’ as the words spoken of the priest at the imposition indicate: ‘Repent and believe the gospel’ ‘Remember, you are dust and to dust you will return’.

 

When sickness strikes us we submit to medical examination and seek a diagnosis. Only then can the doctor prescribe the appropriate treatment so that healing may follow. It is just the same with sinfulness. We first need to submit to spiritual examination by the Holy Spirit – alone or with the help of another – only then can the gospel medicine of repentance, confession, and forgiveness be administered for our renewed healing and wholeness. It is a spiritual process basic to Christian living – to be repeated frequently through the year, and over the years. Lent and Eternity simply call us to it with a special determination and inensity.

 

‘Come back to God with all your heart’

‘Repent and believe the gospel’

‘Remember, you are dust and to dust you will return’

 

So let us now bless the ashes, derived from last year’s palms, sprinkle them with holy water, and receive them with sincerity on our foreheads in the form of a cross.

(prepared for St Martin, Scarborough)

Ashes to ashes, dust to dust

This morning two eucharists, and ashing.

Rest of day watching by the bed of mother, comfortable and at peace, slowly letting go.

A connection there I'm sure.