Grace and Peace to you from God, our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
I was watching the news a few nights ago and they showed the dynamiting of a high-rise on Miami Beach. This 10 story structure was a victim of the recession and the sub-prime mortgage debacle and the half finished structure had to be cleared so that they could sell the land to recover some of their costs. They exploded the dynamite and the structure immediately fell to its knees. A cloud of dust filled the space where it stood moments ago. In a matter of sheer seconds, a solid, concrete and steel structure became a haze of mere dust.
“Remember that you are dust and to dust you will return”.
I have a real love/hate relationship with Ash Wednesday. It is so somber, so black and dark in its tone. I love life. I’m a natural party animal and Ash Wednesday sobers me up by forcing me to face my finitude. Yet, I am not built to last. I am on my way out (so to speak); so are you, and I will do almost anything to deny that.
Do you remember when you got your first grey hair or your first wrinkle around the eyes? Somewhere in your early 20’s they began. Its like “What is this doing here? I am way too young. This is a mistake!”
It is no mistake. “Remember that you are dust and to dust you will return”.
If the dust bit, smeared as it is to my forehead in the shape of the cross, weren’t enough of a jolt, the first thing we do is make this long confession. I get so squeamish. After each petition I feel like there is a prosecutor behind me yelling in my ear, “Guilty as charged. Guilty”.
There is just no easy way to get around Ash Wednesday. The sin that our biblical ancestors, Adam and Eve, brought upon us is our legacy and our inheritance. We shouldn’t put the blame on them because we would have done the same thing in their place. St. Paul, speaks about it best in Romans, “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” We all have. We all will, but Ash Wednesday stands as a reality check in the middle of our year, each year. It says, “In spite of your sinfulness, in spite of your temporariness, God still finds you lovely, beautiful, irresistible and worth dying for. The image of God that is also your birthright still lies imprinted upon you. You can turn from all that is false in your life. Some churches emphasize this when they plant those ashes on your forehead they say “Repent and believe in the Gospel”. Repent means “turn around”. It means “stop running away and face home, face Christ, turn your face to God and learn to trust in God alone”. That’s really good advice, great advice.
We always follow Ash Wednesday with the story of Jesus being tempted in the Wilderness. The reason for that is because we want to remember and have set before us the reminder that temptation doesn’t ever just “go away” and leave us alone. We must fight, as Jesus did daily, and struggle, as Jesus did daily, with the things that separate us from God.
Some years ago, in my first parish, I was involved in a study of ministry conducted by our seminary in Philadelphia. As part of the study, I had to log in to a journal every 15 minutes to record what I was doing at that moment. It wasn’t a “time study” to try and improve my efficiency. No, its purpose was to help me get to know me better. Jesus tells us in today’s gospel “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” When you take a cold, hard, unvarnished look at what you actually do with your time, you discover the same thing. Luther used to say “Your God is whatever you hang your heart on.” His words are so revealing. So was my time diary.
Perhaps it’s a good idea to do a time study of your life early in Lent. Many of the things we do really don’t give us life, unfortunately. Few among us are going to be rich or famous, but all of us can be more loving. Here are some suggestions for a Lenten discipline.
1. Who is it you are avoiding? Whom do need to make peace with? Jesus tells us to love our enemies and do good to those we are estranged from. I’m not talking about Osama Bin Laden. Who in your life are you far from? Lent is the time to try and make peace, to re-capture the love you once had. Lent is about dying inside so that new life can be born.
2. What issue or concern stirs you and what have you been thinking about becoming involved in for some time? Is it volunteering for Special Olympics, the Upper Chesapeake Hospital, becoming involved with the Church’s Worship committee by using the talent you have for art that God has given you? Lent is the time to stop suppressing the Spirit, the Holy Spirit, get out of the Spirit’s way and leave your comfort zone behind and run with joy to the new life God wants to create in you.
3. Lent is a time for prayer and drawing close to God. One way to do Lent is to listen to a Christian radio station instead of your normal country or Rock one. Another is to come to Bible study. We are starting 1st Corinthians this Tuesday. Read “The Shack”. We have lots of copies. It answers hard questions about why God permits evil to exist and unwraps the Trinity in a fresh and astounding way. If you need a suggestion, ask. Devote 10 minutes of your day to reading and prayer. Habits are formed over time. If you do something for 3 weeks continuously, it wears a groove in your life.
“Remember that you are dust and to dust you will return”.
In Psalm 90, verses 1-6, 10-12, the writer gives us some wisdom to reflect on.
Lord, you have been our dwelling place
in all generations.
Before the mountains were brought forth,
or ever you had formed the earth and the world,
from everlasting to everlasting you are God.
You turn us back to dust,
and say, "Turn back, you mortals."
For a thousand years in your sight
are like yesterday when it is past,
or like a watch in the night.
You sweep them away; they are like a dream,
like grass that is renewed in the morning;
in the morning it flourishes and is renewed;
in the evening it fades and withers.
The days of our life are seventy years,
or perhaps eighty, if we are strong;
even then their span is only toil and trouble;
they are soon gone, and we fly away.
Who considers the power of your anger?
Your wrath is as great as the fear that is due you.
So teach us to count our days
that we may gain a wise heart.
The wisdom is timeless. God has only given you so much time. It is more precious than gold or silver. Use it wisely. Use it – for God’s sake.
In Jesus Name, Amen.
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