Post 202--Ash Wednesday 2018

Better late than never, as the trite saying has it.  It's 1:40 am, Friday right now. Two days after Ash Wednesday. Another way of saying, "Late!"  I so confess, but the truth and significance of Ash Wednesday still holds,.  It is too important for my tardiness to undo it.  It is too objective for my subjectivity to undo it. 

The rest of this post constitutes a meditation on Ash Wednesday written by Rev. Gary Patterson of the St. Andrew's-Wesley United Church at Burrard and Nelson in downtown Vancouver, just a few blocks from where I am writing. In Patterson's style, I invite you to sit back, relax and ponder what he offers you. 

However, Patterson being a liberal, there are some elements in his Ash meditation that are missing. Some of that will be expressed in the next post. I had hoped that would be tomorrow, but I will be away. To leave the matter till my return a few days from now, puts it too far from the actual day, even further than Patterson's. So, I will do that follow-up post a few hours from now. Not sure whether the computer will record it as the 16th or 17th. 

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THINKING ABOUT WHAT MATTERS

Today is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent, and there will be a special worship service here at St. Andrew’s-Wesley, at 7 pm tonight, in the Chapel. It’s not a “popular” or well-attended service in the United Church. But I remember four years ago, during my time as Moderator, when I was in Bogota, Colombia on Ash Wednesday and decided to go to a morning service at a nearby Catholic church.

Imagine my surprise to discover the church was full to overflowing, and when the brief service ended there were long line-ups, hundreds of us waiting to receive the mark of ashes on our foreheads. During the rest of the day, as I wandered about the city, it seemed that every other person was similarly marked. It was a strange sight… and sobering, knowing that everyone bearing the ash symbol had heard the priest softly say, “From dust you have come, and to dust you shall return.”

Lent is a pondering time, an opportunity to think about some of those questions about life’s meaning that too often get neglected in the day to day busy-ness. Questions like… “Who am I? What’s truly important to me? What am I doing with my life? When I look at myself in the mirror, what do I see? What am I doing with my dreams, with my regrets?” And there’s nothing like being reminded of your mortality to give some oomph to those questions.

In our culture, we are encouraged to avoid thinking about death, and we go merrily along, pretending we have all the time in the world. It’s not true, and in our hearts, we know that to be so… it’s why that Ash Wednesday ritual can be such a helpful reminder.

Ash Wednesday goes further than simply being a stark reminder of our limited time. The phrase, “From dust you have come and to dust you shall return,” is traditionally followed by some kind of statement that invites, no, calls us to “Repent!”… which is to say, “Turn your life around. Change the way you are living. Let go of a way of being that sucks the life out of you.” Thus, Lent invites us both to think seriously about our days, asking, a la Mary Oliver, “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” AND THEN … to start making changes.

This Lent season many of us will be reading Eric Elnes’ book, Gifts of the Dark Wood, in which he suggests that struggles and hard times can become moments of discovery. Finding ourselves uncertain, or facing emptiness and loss, these experiences can, with grace, become a gift, … a bit like having ashes on your forehead and being reminded that you will soon return to the dust from which you came.

I was recently reading a book of essays by Ursula Le Guin, who, when she was 80, was asked what she did with her “spare time.” Her response is something to ponder in the season of Lent:

"To a working person… spare time is the time not spent at your job or at otherwise keeping yourself alive, cooking, keeping clean, getting the car fixed, getting the kids to school. To people in the midst of life, spare time is free time, and valued as such … But to people in their eighties? What do retired people have but “spare time? … When all the time you have is spare, is free, what do you make of it? And what’s the difference really, between that and the time you used to have when you were fifty, or thirty, or fifteen?

… The opposite of spare time is, I guess, occupied time. In my case, I still don’t know what spare time is because all my time is occupied. It always has been and it is now. It’s occupied by living … I cannot find anywhere in my life a time, or a kind of time, that is unoccupied. My time is fully and vitally occupied with sleep, with daydreaming, with doing business and writing friends and family on email, with reading, with writing, with thinking, with forgetting, with embroidering, with cooking and eating a meal and cleaning up with kitchen, with construing Virgil, with meeting friends, with talking with my husband, with going out to shop for groceries, … None of this is spare time. I can’t spare it… I am going to be eighty-one next week. I have no time to spare."

(from No Time to Spare: Thinking About What Matters, Ursula Le Guin, 2017)

Post 153—Ash Wednesday Posted…. This Wednesday (2 days ago) was called “Ash Wednesday.” The following is the introduction to the liturgy of Ash Wednesday observed this week in the First Baptist Church of Vancouver, BC, where my wife and I frequently worship. The service itself consists of Scripture readings, prayers, meditations and the singing of hymns. Somewhere during the liturgy, all came forward in order to receive in the form of ashes the sign of the cross on our foreheads. Two days later, right now, in fact, the cross has blurred, but the black ashes are still there to remind me and everyone else I meet this week. Here, then, the introduction, which was followed up with a reading of Psalm 103, which is reproduced below. Since the beginning of the Church, Christians have observed the days of our Lord’s passion and resurrection with great devotion. It became one of the greatest traditions of the Church to prepare for these events through serious examination of our spiritual lives. The passion of Lent is a time of penitence, discipline and renewal. In the Ash Wednesday service, we are reminded of our mortality, we confess our sins, and we experience forgiveness through Christ’s death and resurrection. The “imposition of ashes” is a central part of the service. You are invited to come forward to

Post 153—Ash Wednesday                                                     

This Wednesday (2 days ago) was called “Ash Wednesday.” The following is the introduction to the liturgy of Ash Wednesday observed this week in the First Baptist Church of Vancouver, BC, where my wife and I frequently worship. The service itself consists of Scripture readings, prayers, meditations and the singing of hymns. Somewhere during the liturgy, all came forward in order to receive in the form of ashes the sign of the cross on our foreheads.  Two days later, right now, in fact, the cross has blurred, but the black ashes are still there to remind me and everyone else I meet this week. Here, then, the introduction, which was followed up with a reading of Psalm 103, which is reproduced below.  

Since the beginning of the Church, Christians have observed the days of our Lord’s passion and resurrection with great devotion. It became one of the greatest traditions of the Church to prepare for these events through serious examination of our spiritual lives.

The passion of Lent is a time of penitence, discipline and renewal. In the Ash Wednesday service, we are reminded of our mortality, we confess our sins, and we experience forgiveness through Christ’s death and resurrection.

The “imposition of ashes” is a central part of the service. You are invited to come forward to receive the ashes on your forehead in the form of a cross. In Scripture, ashes serve both as a symbol of mortality and as a sign of mourning and repentance.

But neither sin nor death are the final word. We leave the service in confidence and gratitude, for Christ has conquered death, and nothing can separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus, our Lord.

Here are the words of Psalm 103. Read it through slowly and thoughtfully. Allow it to enter your heart and into your soul. Let it speak to you and ponder….

Praise the Lord, my soul;
    all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
² Praise the Lord, my soul,
    and forget not all his benefits—
³ who forgives all your sins
    and heals all your diseases,
⁴ who redeems your life from the pit
    and crowns you with love and compassion,
⁵ who satisfies your desires with good things
    so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

⁶ The Lord works righteousness
    and justice for all the oppressed.

⁷ He made known his ways to Moses,
    his deeds to the people of Israel:
⁸ The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
    slow to anger, abounding in love.
⁹ He will not always accuse,
    nor will he harbor his anger forever;
¹⁰ he does not treat us as our sins deserve
    or repay us according to our iniquities.
¹¹ For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
    so great is his love for those who fear him;
¹² as far as the east is from the west,
    so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

¹³ As a father has compassion on his children,
    so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him;
¹⁴ for he knows how we are formed,
    he remembers that we are dust.
¹⁵ The life of mortals is like grass,
    they flourish like a flower of the field;
¹⁶ the wind blows over it and it is gone,
    and its place remembers it no more.
¹⁷ But from everlasting to everlasting
    the Lord’s love is with those who fear him,
    and his righteousness with their children’s children—
¹⁸ with those who keep his covenant
    and remember to obey his precepts.

¹⁹ The Lord has established his throne in heaven,
    and his kingdom rules over all.

²⁰ Praise the Lord, you his angels,
    you mighty ones who do his bidding,
    who obey his word.
²¹ Praise the Lord, all his heavenly hosts,
    you his servants who do his will.
²² Praise the Lord, all his works
    everywhere in his dominion.

Praise the Lord, my soul.

For those not used to the language of the Bible, perhaps the version called “The Message” is more easily understood, since it says the same time in more ordinary language, less formal but still beautiful to hear a and meditate upon:

A David Psalm

103 ^1-2 O my soul, bless God.
    From head to toe, I’ll bless his holy name!
O my soul, bless God,
    don’t forget a single blessing!

^3-5 He forgives your sins—every one.
    He heals your diseases—every one.
    He redeems you from hell—saves your life!
    He crowns you with love and mercy—a paradise crown.
    He wraps you in goodness—beauty eternal.
    He renews your youth—you’re always young in his presence.

^6-18 God makes everything come out right;
    he puts victims back on their feet.
He showed Moses how he went about his work,
    opened up his plans to all Israel.
God is sheer mercy and grace;
    not easily angered, he’s rich in love.
He doesn’t endlessly nag and scold,
    nor hold grudges forever.
He doesn’t treat us as our sins deserve,
    nor pay us back in full for our wrongs.
As high as heaven is over the earth,
    so strong is his love to those who fear him.
And as far as sunrise is from sunset,
    he has separated us from our sins.
As parents feel for their children,
    God feels for those who fear him.
He knows us inside and out,
    keeps in mind that we’re made of mud.
Men and women don’t live very long;
    like wildflowers they spring up and blossom,
But a storm snuffs them out just as quickly,
    leaving nothing to show they were here.
God’s love, though, is ever and always,
    eternally present to all who fear him,
Making everything right for them and their children
    as they follow his Covenant ways
    and remember to do whatever he said.

^19-22 God has set his throne in heaven;
    he rules over us all. He’s the King!
So bless God, you angels,
    ready and able to fly at his bidding,
    quick to hear and do what he says.
Bless God, all you armies of angels,
    alert to respond to whatever he wills.
Bless God, all creatures, wherever you are—
    everything and everyone made by God.

And you, O my soul, bless God!

Post 94 Trudeau: Due Diligence? (1)

Religion and Politics

"Religion and politics" is such a huge subject that it will never be exhausted, no matter how many tomes or conferences are devoted to it. Though it is the subject for a couple of initial paragraphs in this post, it is not our main subject today.

Post 93 deals with what might be considered a “purely” religious and spiritual topic:  Ash Wednesday.  And now, immediately, right after it a dive into politics?  Federal politics even?  That will seem like an awfully wide leap to some, from the sublime to the shady.

Actually, it’s not as big a leap as you may think.  “Purely” religious or spiritual topics are meant to improve your relations with God and man—your neighbor, as per the name of this blog. And it is with this improved or strengthened relationship with both God and your neighbor that you then go forth into the world of culture, including politics. Anyone with poor or absent relations with God or neighbor is likely to pursue unhealthy politics, being guided by all sorts of shady motives and unhelpful worldviews.

So, here I am, unabashed and unapologetic for this move from high spirituality to high politics—that of our Prime Minister (PM).  That’s as high as you can go in our country—but perhaps at the same time as low!  You can go either way. The lowest motives may be the most dominant at the highest or vice versa.

I should hasten to indicate my awareness that the PM of Canada is not the Head of State and that, officially, his is not the highest status, which is reserved for the Governor General, who is appointed by his “inferior,” the PM.  True, but the PM certainly is the highest in terms of political power, influence and responsibility.

PM Trudeau and Due Diligence

My question is whether our new PM is doing due diligence.This question arose first arose during his campaign before Trudeau was “enthroned.” I’ve had no reason to put my mind at ease on this score and note that I am by no means the only one to have a suspicion here. From before his installment to the end of his hundred honeymoon days, I have detected a consistent pattern that keeps the question at the forefront.

Before proceeding, though, I want to praise the PM for some of his earliest actions that delighted my soul. The first one was the composition of his Cabinet. His 50-50 gender cabinet appointments. The second was his racial or ethnic inclusiveness, also in the context of the Cabinet. That was just such a refreshing change from history.  There was his “march” to the Governor General’s mansion in the company of his cabinet, all on foot instead of an ostentatious automobile entourage. And then there was his unfeigned and spontaneous reaction to the unexpected meeting with his daughter who ran into her parents arms during that march. It was all so delightful and different. I initially accepted it all in pure delight. This was going to be a different PM, no doubt about it. The MacLean’s cover photo of the surprised look of the Prime Ministerial couple upon seeing their young daughter run into their arms is pinned to a wall in our apartment. It’s bound to become a classic.

Spontaneity vs Due Diligence

That pattern of seeming spontaneity continued on. With the tremendous pressure of Syrian refugees dominating the news towards the end of the PM’s campaign, he bravely announced that Canada would welcome 25,000 refugees by the end of 2015, a period of just a couple of months. How spontaneous was that?  Or was it?  You may remember previous posts on this blog on the subject of refugees. I pointed out that even under more normal circumstances, those responsible for vetting refugees admitted that it is virtually impossible to do it thoroughly according to established protocol, let alone under the pressure of the moment.  25,000 within the space of a couple of months? I loved the sentiment behind it. But was it feasible to do it within the protocol?  I judged “no.”  Not possible. Only if various steps were ignored or omitted, even if those chosen would already have been vetted by the UN.  Canadian officials sent to the Middle East to sort them out would hardly be capable of reading between the lines of the oral and written claims of Third World refugees, whose logic, culture, religion and, not to forget, their interests are so radically different from their own. 

Populism vs Due Diligence 

The question of due diligence bubbled to the surface. Was this true spontaneity, genuine spontaneity?  Does spontaneity exclude or bypass due diligence?  Of course, the PM himself recognized his decision for what it was and moved the deadline for the 25,000 forward several times. Or was this populism?  That is, playing on the emotions of the public that was exposed regularly to the pitiful scenes of hordes of refugees, women, children and the elderly, making their way across seas and land borders in their search for safety. Playing on their emotions without doing due diligence?  And let the chips fall where they may?  Like spontaneity, populism, that is, listening to the hearts of the people is good democracy, but not without due diligence.  It is the duty of our politicians to listen to the people and to practice due diligence at the same time.

(To be continued in Post 95)

Post 93—Ash Wednesday

I wonder: Did you observe Ash Wednesday this month?  It fell on Wednesday, February 10. As the name makes obvious, it always is celebrated on Wednesday.  But perhaps, before asking whether you observed it this past week, a prior question is whether you even know what it is. A second question is, even if you know what it is, whether you gave it any thought at all. The answer to the last question probably depends on which church you attend and whether your church pays attention to it. Some churches or denominations do; others ignore it. I attend two different churches/denominations, and both observed it by holding special services on the evening of February 10.

So what is Ash Wednesday? Wikipedia gives the following bare, curt definition: “the first day of Lent in the Western Christian Church, marked by services of penitence.”  As if the writer regrets this curt version, she/he then provides a few more details: “a day of fasting, is the first day of Lent in Western Christianity. It (normally) occurs 46 days…before Easter and can fall as early as February 4th or as late as 10 March. Ash Wednesday is observed by many Western Christians, including Anglicans, Lutherans, Methodists,Presbyterians, and Roman Catholics.”  More recently denominations like the Christian Reformed Church and some Baptist groups have also begun to observe it.  The more recent arrivals have dropped the fasting part of it.

The Gospels tell us that Jesus spent 40 days fasting in the wilderness or desert, during which time he faced satanic temptations. The 40 days of Lent, which Ash Wednesday is day 1, mirrors this period of fasting. The name itself comes from the ashes made from palm branches that were used on the previous year’s Palm Sunday. These ashes were/are placed in the form of a cross on the foreheads of the participants by a clergy person, accompanied with formulae like “Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return” (Genesis 3:19) or  “Repent, and believe in the Gospel” (Mark 1:15). The first and more original of the two sayings are the words spoken to Adam and Eve after their fall into sin and remind worshippers of their sinfulness and mortality along with their need to repent. 

Ash Wednesday in some countries is enriched by some additional traditions. For example, I understand that on that day the Pope traditionally participates in a penitential procession between two churches, where ashes are sprinkled on his head—not smudged on his forehead--, while the Pope also places ashes on the heads of other worshippers. The Catholic Church and, more recently, some Protestant churches as well, participate in the “Ashes to Go” programme, during which clergy go to public places like downtowns, sidewalks, train stations, malls to place ashes on passersby, sometimes even on drivers waiting at stoplights! Another innovation is for small cards to be distributed among the congregation on which people are invited to write a sin they need to confess. These cards are then brought to an altar or table where they are burned. 

The association of ashes with grief, sorrow or repentance has ancient Biblical and cultural roots, even among Israel’s Pagan neighbours as in Nineveh. When Tamar was raped by her half-brother, she sprinkled ashes on her head…and went away crying (2 Samuel 13:19). Job said in Job 42:3-6, “I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.” The prophet Jeremiah called for repentance, “O daughter of my people, gird on sackcloth, roll in the ashes” (Jeremiah 6:26). Daniel pleaded to God “in earnest prayer with fasting, sackcloth and ashes” (Daniel 9:3). In the New Testament, Jesus spoke of the practice: “If the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes” (Matthew 3:47; Luke 10:13). There is also reference to it in Hebrews 9:13. 

So my wife and I participated in the ceremony at First Baptist Church in downtown Vancouver. But it was not merely a ceremony; it was a living experience what with the readings, prayers and hymns that goaded us towards a renewed sense of our sinfulness, mortality and need to repent. Though these are daily elements in the heart of a born-again Christian—or should be—a ceremony like this refreshes that awareness and stimulates one’s resolve to revive it. I am happy that I participated in this first step into Lent. The beauty of it all is that, paradoxically, after one goes through what sounds like a macabre exercise, one comes away from it with renewed joy and peace in his heart.

If you have not been in the habit, I strongly recommend attending Ash Wednesday 2017.  Especially for the born-again, for those who are alive in Christ, it is a blessed way of starting your Lenten journey towards the Resurrection of our Lord.