Travelling begins with ashes....?
Lent's journey begins today in ashes.
Ashes are traditionally a sign of mourning and penitence. The Prayer Books urges us to "worthily lament our sins". But how often do we start a journey like this? Usually our journeys begin full of optimism. We live in a culture which believes in success, and if we experience failure we immediately look around us for someone to blame. Our parents; the government; others' stupidity, greed or ignorance.
Looking at ourselves instead of at others could be difficult, alerting us to things about ourselves we'd rather ignore. So we avoid it.....rushing to get on with the next part of the journey.
Ash Wednesday tells us that there is a time for self-reflection, and that time might just be today.
'My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit;
A broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.' Psalm 51:17
Ashes are traditionally a sign of mourning and penitence. The Prayer Books urges us to "worthily lament our sins". But how often do we start a journey like this? Usually our journeys begin full of optimism. We live in a culture which believes in success, and if we experience failure we immediately look around us for someone to blame. Our parents; the government; others' stupidity, greed or ignorance.
Looking at ourselves instead of at others could be difficult, alerting us to things about ourselves we'd rather ignore. So we avoid it.....rushing to get on with the next part of the journey.
Ash Wednesday tells us that there is a time for self-reflection, and that time might just be today.
'My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit;
A broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.' Psalm 51:17
Comments
Post a Comment