All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
1 Peter 5:5b-7
The traditions of the Church intrigue me: Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Pentecost Sunday, Lent, and Easter (to name some). They are a rich inheritance, passed on to us by our fathers and mothers in the faith, meant to keep us rooted in God’s Story.
Because we don’t have any kind of tradition surrounding the Lenten season at our church, I observe Lent in my own creative, but not very professional, way.
Earlier this week, though, I found myself having very un-Lenten thoughts. Very. Critical, judgemental, prideful. I wished I could send my mind to the cleaners.
Suddenly I thought about the imagery of Ash Wednesday. A cross made of ashes drawn on the forehead. A symbol of humility. “You are dust, and to dust you shall return.” Genesis 3:19.
I pictured God drawing a cross of ashes on my forehead, a symbol of humility through which my thoughts could be filtered. Amazed, I found myself laughing at my thoughts; taking them lightly, because the pride had been removed.
Purified thoughts are uplifting, and dust doesn’t weigh very much at all.
Beverly
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