Eternal God, on this day of ashes, even before they touch my forehead, I can taste them in my mouth. The taste of things I should not have said, of my own foolishness, of pride, unkindness, of ignorance. I feel them in my throat, the silence where I should have spoken and the grief that… Read More
The Pastoral is Political: Ashes to Ashes
Ashes with worship? Ashes all day? Ashes to go? Ashes with glitter? As the liturgical calendar winds its way certain discussions can be predicted. With Advent its advent candles colors. With Ash Wednesday it’s the way in which we make/dispense ashes. Ashes are political. They are symbolic word act of our very real inability to… Read More
Wednesday Prayer
God we hear Your loving, yet powerful call as we enter into this season of reflection, remembering and returning We respond With symbols plain for all to see on our faces Gentle reminders on our hands Resolute promises in our hearts We are ready to put in the work To reflect on our sins, woundedness… Read More
Tuesday Prayer
Spirit of Calm and Chaos… In these moments before our Lenten pilgrimage begins, we take a look at our dusty world- Where active shooter trainings are reality, Where middle-age icons die of strokes, Where our youth can’t see themselves in the ways you see them, and our powers-that-be can’t see the image of God in… Read More
Monday Prayer – Shiny Shoes
Old Shoes made shiny and new. Transfiguring God! Help us to be transfigured too… shiny shoes and shiny people Glowing with your love sharing that love and allowing it to shine bright. As the season of preparation approaches… and the shine is banished for 40 days remind us, to wash our faces and show the… Read More
The Pastoral is Political: Church Seasons
Jesus said, “Have you never read what David did when he & his companions were hungry? He entered the house of God and ate the bread of the Presence, giving some to his companions too. In the same way, the sabbath was made for humanity’s sake — humanity was not made for sabbath’s sake. The… Read More
Ash Wednesday Prayer
With a sigh and a muffled sob, I set down my ashes: this fragile life, this frail ego, these vain illusions of all that I might do…might have…might be. With a sigh and twinge of regret, I set down my ashes: dreams I have chased, wounds I have clung to, fears that have crowded out… Read More
Wits’ Ends Day: Happy (Ash) Valentine’s (Wednes)Day
Hallmark may not be taking advantage of this unique opportunity, but I thought somebody should create a few cards to mark the confluence of Valentine’s Day and Ash Wednesday. Sending all my love and penitent thoughts to you lovely clergywomen on this day of hearts and ashes. If you’ve ever struggled with the logistics of… Read More
Revised Common Lectionary: Cut Off
I’ve been thinking recently about the ways in which I find myself feeling cut off and cut into pieces: within myself, within my faith, within my relationships. For me, that sense of isolation is a particular result of my own life experiences, but to a certain degree, the struggle with feeling disconnected is universal to… Read More
Ash Wednesday: Lectionaries
With all your heart, cries God through the prophet Joel. With a clean heart, prays the psalmist. With a heart set on heaven, teaches Jesus. (And for those preachers whose hearts are set on using the Narrative Lectionary texts for Ash Wednesday, check out this reflection on Psalm 23 and John 10:1-18.) Ash Wednesday’s Revised… Read More
