Ashes and Dust, You and Me, and the World

Today (February 18) is Ash Wednesday in the Christian tradition. It springs from a desire to spend 40 days of contemplation, self-examination, repentance of our sins and humbling ourselves before God, in order to accept in a humble spirit his gracious gifts to us as we celebrate the death and resurrection of our Lord. The 40 days before Easter begin today, and in liturgical tradition, many churches offer a smear of ashes on the forehead of people who come to pray. The ashes remind us that we are mere mortals, as God told Adam and Eve: "For you were made from dust, and to dust you will return” (Gen. 3:19).

Taking a broader view, we can see that the whole world is in the same condition today that God described of Adam and Eve: broken, doomed to destruction and desperate for rescue. Here are a very few of the symptoms:

• Various religious factions kidnapping, enslaving, and violently killing others (Islamic groups are taking the spotlight at the moment, but violence in the name of religion is not unique to Islam).
• Political warfare occurring in every part of the world, either the outright battles and takeovers in Ukraine and much of the Middle East, or at the polls and in the congresses and parliaments in every other country.
• Racial strife continuing basically unchecked around the world. In the US we see conflicts between black and white, and less in the headlines, between other races also. In other regions, hatred and violence occur between peoples that you and I would have a hard time telling apart.
• Ebola and other diseases springing up and killing thousands (9,380 deaths in five African countries so far; Nigeria and Senegal appear to have no new cases but Liberia, Mali and Sierra Leone still have people falling ill). The Ebola plague has left over 500 children as orphans -- most of whom nobody will adopt. Plus HIV and many other diseases we don't seem able to stop.

That list, of course, targets people other than ourselves as the problem. But each of us must also ask ourselves and God the question "How do my attitudes contribute to a lack of peace and justice in those around me?" That is the personal side of Lent: reflection, prayer, and honesty with ourselves and God. Many spiritual tools help us do that, and we should take some time to consider using them as we bring ourselves before God.  And of course, we don't let the sins that we uncover depress us or steal our hope. The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ have taken away our sin and shame, and have already given us eternal life with him! May God receive our thanks and praise for his gracious gifts in Christ, and let us walk with him in the light.