St. Ansgar's Lutheran Church

Sermon for Wednesday, February 21, 2007

Ash Wednesday

Rend Your Hearts

Texts: Isaiah 58:1-12 2 Corinthians 5:20-6:10 (Series C. Ash Wednesday) Ps.521-17 Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21

Earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust. From dust and ashes you came and to dust and ashes you shall return. These are the word we normally hear at a graveside service. The Hebrew Scripture tells us in Genesis that God formed us out of the dust of the earth and breathed life into what he had formed.

Did you know that the Hebrew word for human "Adam" is based on the Hebrew word for red? Some think this is actually an allusion to red clay. Red clay is very prevalent here so that stuff that you get on your shoes and that stains your carpets is actually your kin. Some people think this image of God forming the first "Adam" out of clay to be mainly poetic. But science has demonstrated how accurate it actually is. We all know that the human body is mostly water 75% they say. Remove the water and we are just a pile of chemicals.

This pile of chemicals, because of its iron content would probably be red just like the iron rich clay in Prince Edward Island or in Africa. Chemically we are not that much different from the dirt beneath our feet.

In Genesis account of the creation when we take a closer look. We will discover that God spoke every living organism into existence, every thing visible and invisible came about through the spoken Word, except humanity. We are told that God created humanity with his own hands from material that already existed.

But there is more to this dust and ashes stuff than just our chemical composition. The fact that we are merely over-glorified clay has a spiritual significance. It reminds us that we are dependant upon God. Without God's breath or spirit (in Hebrew … Ruwach) we are nothing.

Without the breath or Spirit of God we are just like ashes: lifeless dirt under our feet. The problem is we forget this fact: that we are merely ashes and dust; that we are kin to the dust. We imagine ourselves to be more than we are. We deny our dependence upon God. We delude ourselves into thinking we are masters of our own destiny. The Jewish Hasidic tradition teaches that everyone should have two pockets in their coats with two slips of paper. One slip says: "I am only dust and ashes." The other "For me the whole universe was created."

Sometimes we need to remember that first slip of paper, as we have done and will do tonight as we come to be marked with the ashes of repentance, and sometimes we also need to remember the second - to remember that we have been adopted by God in Christ - that through him God forgives us – and makes us joint heirs with Christ of all that has been made. This also we will do tonight as we receive the sacrament of God's love for us in Christ Jesus.

Sorrow and joy. Repentance and forgiveness. Humility and joyful confidence Fasting and Feasting, These are the poles around which our life in Christ revolve, these are the things that need to speak to one another in our hearts and our minds and our souls, the things that the Holy Spirit seeks to animate within us as she fulfils her role of both convicting and comforting us, and leading us in holiness and righteousness to the springs of living water prepared for us from the beginning of time.

And never more so in Lent - the season in which we are especially called to remember the sacrifice Jesus made for us on the cross, the season in which we are specially called to prepare ourselves for both his death - and his resurrection.

Tonight is the beginning of the season of Lent, the beginning of the season in which we are called to a holy fast and to a contemplation of the mystery of our faith - that mystery summed up in the words

Christ has died,
Christ has risen
Christ will come again.

And in the words:
"I am only dust and ashes."
"For me the whole universe was created."

As we embrace both these statements tonight,
- as we have both sorrow over our sins and joy over our salvation,
- as we are marked with the ashes of mortality and repentance,
- as we humble ourselves to live as lowly servants and hear in joy we are the beloved children of God,

We are called to a holy fast - and a holy feast in each of the days of this season, a fast in which we rend our hearts and not our garments, one in which we act as ambassadors for Christ, and allow God to make his appeal through us to the world.

If you see a poor person, take pity on him/her. If you see a friend being honoured, do not envy him. Do not let only your mouth fast, but also the eye and the ear and the feet and the hands and all the members of our bodies.

For what good is it if we abstain from birds and fishes, but bite and devour our brothers and sisters? May He who came to the world to save sinners, strengthen us to complete the fast with humility, have mercy on us and save us."

Paul was calling the Corinthians to repentance. It was a small thing to say, "I leave the old and turn to God." But by that one small action we open ourselves up to the saving grace of Jesus Christ, our Lord.

So as we come today to have the sign of the cross placed on our foreheads rend our hearts. Repent of those vain glories. And accept the grace and forgiveness that marks us as redeemed children of God.

Rev. Samuel King-Kabu

February 21, 2007