Which Sins Are Worse?

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Which is worse, a sin against God or a sin against a person?

A proper first response is that, of course, a sin against God is worse. God is holy. We owe him our entire beings, allegiance and worship.

I have had a thought about this question that I’m not too sure about. I am throwing this out there. Feel free to comment. Rather than focus on the party offended by our sin, God or man, what if we focus on the effect(s) of our sin?

God is impassible. He is unchanging. He is unaffected by our sin. If we blaspheme, it does not change who God is. If we commit idolatry, it does not affect who God is.

Man is different. If we lie about a friend, who knows what the effect might be? If we commit adultery, who can tell the fallout? People’s live can be radically affected by our sin. We may help corrupt their ideas about God. We may plant seeds of bitterness in their hearts that leads to other problems in their lives. Truly, our sins against our neighbor open a Pandora’s Box.

Now, to come at the question of effects from a different angle, our sins do not change God and they usually affect people, but they always affect us. They affect our relationships with those against whom we sin, God or man.

It is possible that our sins against God are worse because of whom they are against and also because they affect our ability to love all persons, divine and human. When we sin against man, we are sinning against the image of God. When we sin against God, we are not sinning against his image, but against God himself.

Have I lost you, yet?

I realize that I am not usually this speculative on axegrinder. I hope that these thoughts only promote good things in your life. Whatever the truth is about what sins are worse than others, I know that I do not want to commit any sins. When I fail to live up to that God-inspired desire and do not walk in the Spirit, I trust that the Spirit will convict me of my sin and bring me to the atoning blood. There is our hope of reconciliation as we pursue peace with all men and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14).

Lenten Prayer of St. Ephrem the Syrian:

“O Lord and Master of my life! Take from me the spirit of sloth, faint-heartedness, lust of power, and idle talk. But give rather the spirit of chastity, humility, patience, and love to Thy servant. Yea, O Lord and King! Grant me to see my own errors and not to judge my brother; For Thou art blessed unto ages of ages. Amen”

Hack away.

Tags: Theology, Sin, God, Religion, Christianity

Do-over

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How can I, who am fit for wrath,
Comment on your deeds,
Presume to tell others what to think about them,
Search with words places unknown,
Poke my head in sacred places?

Relieve me this burden.
Not of speaking,
But of wrath-worthiness.
You bring comfort
When the sound of you approach
Should only terrify.

Our forebearers glanced over their shoulders.
They flirted for a moment with a disasterous return.
What is it that we pine for
From the closet of our past,
From the storage box under the bed?

In the debate between bondage and freedom
With whom do we side?
Who gets our "Amen's?"
When we see freedom
Is it really bondage with a mask?

When God turns things right side up
Does the blood rush to our heads?
When we survey our home
Do we feel out of place?
When we look at our siblings
Are they strangers?

You ask me a question.
I think I know the answer.
I know you already know.
Every once in a while I guess correctly.
Mostly, I am wrong
But still learning.

So I get to give someone
A fish sandwich.
And clean up after lunch.
And hear people say,
"I believe in Jesus."

Based on the Propers for Lent 4.

Tags: Poetry, Lent, Lectionary, Christianity, Jesus Christ

Prepare to be Unimpressed

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I am at a loss concerning what to say about the readings for Lent 4. I am sick right now. This has brought on a bit of malaise and inability to focus. Nevertheless, I have committed to posting on the Sunday Propers.

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I thought about examining how passages like Galatians 4 can easily be co-opted to legitimize schismatics and fringe groups. I was even going to write a sermonette to illustrate the point. I have experience with fringe groups. I was a part of one for four years. I learned recently that the group I was a part of has cut ties with the few groups with which they had contact and are now completely isolated from the rest of Christendom. Anyone remember the Essenes?

When I was a part of a fringe group, it was easy for me to focus on certain Scripture passages in order to justify myself. The three conceptual contrasts in Galatians 4 are a good example.

Freedom vs Bondage
Spirit vs Flesh
Children of Promise vs Persecutor

There is a hermeneutic (way of interpreting Scripture) that assumes one's own rightness and then equates oneself with the good guys in the Bible. Anyone who opposes you is automatically cast in the role of the villian. It is a defensive manuever that insures the preservation of the group as long as members of the group maintain a united front. Anyone who asks questions or deviates is pressured to conform or shown the door.

Now, the meaning of the passage is quite clear. Paul is comparing the Old and New Covenants. There were Jews in Paul's time who were persecuting the young Church. Anyone who would take this passage as an excuse to harrass Jewish people is an imbecile. If we are cursed by someone we are to offer blessing in return.

**

Another direction I thought about going was a fictional narrative illustrating how someone who is under the thumb of another should act if the tables are turned. The Jews persecuted the Christians when they had power. The Christians returned the favor when the roles were reversed.

I floundered around trying to come up with some way to illustrate this situation. I thought about a story in which a boy who is bullied as a kid meets his childhood tormentor as an adult and has the chance to even the score. The protagonist chooses mercy over justice. Or maybe he chooses vengeance and has to suffer the consequences to his conscience. Who knows? I couldn't get it off the ground. It was a one winged bird with indigestion.

**

I wanted to try and say something about how God's way of doing things often flies in the face of what we think is the best way of getting something done. All my thoughts about it are so trite. It comes out as such a cliche. My fear is that I would empower people who simply want to sit around waiting for God to work some kind of miracle when he is waiting for them to get off their rumps and use some common sense.

"Oh, Lord, send us souls."
Why don't you go invite someone to come to church with you?

"Oh, Lord, provide for our needs."
Why don't you quit being irresponsible with your money?

"Oh, Lord, heal my body."
Why don't you go to the doctor?

**

Well, I guess this is what happens when I get sick, or writer's block, or both. I am stuck between two opinions. On the one hand, if you don't have anything worth saying, keep quiet. On the other hand, the only way for a shooter to get out of a slump is to keep shooting.

Maybe the only way for the axegrinder to sharpen his axe is to

Hack away.

Propers for Lent 4

Unwanted Mirror Page 5 - Now Available

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Check out my new short story in progress, The Unwanted Mirror. Pages 1-4 are further down the page.

Unplugged

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I log off my phone and turn off my computer.
I take off my headset.
I pull free from my cubicle.
I go through the security door.
I ride the elevator down two floors.
I pass the front desk in the lobby.
I walk out of my office building.
I squint at the sun; it is noon.
I don my shades.
I am in my usual race to get through the parking lot
To my car,
Away from the building,
Away from my job
As quickly as possible.

I unlock my car.
It is oppressive inside.
I wait for a second and get in.
My AC does not work.
I start the car and back out.
I maneuver toward the exit.
I pass through the security gate.
I pull into the right lane of the driveway.
I pause.
I have been on autopilot for four hours.
What am I doing?
Where am I going?
Why, home, of course,
Right after I stop by Taco Bell.
Not today.

I turn left out of the right hand lane.
Good thing no one else was using the driveway.
I have an idea,
But it is not very clear.
I flip on the radio.
“I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I have become comfortably numb.”
Now I’m scared.
I close in on Old Canton Rd and realize where I am going.
I turn both the steering wheel and the radio knob left.
I’m not going the best way.
A circuitous route may be best right now.
I put the window down.
My hair gets messed up.
I start sweating.
Surprise, it’s hot in Jackson, MS.

I head up the Natchez Trace.
I kind of know for what I am looking.
I kind of don’t.
I pull off the road at a spot with which I am unfamiliar.
I have lived here for over five years.
How is it that I have not spent time exploring the Trace?
Too much time plugged in.
I pull off my button down and toss it in the passenger seat.
I put my hands on my hips and lean back.
The sun does its work.
I bend over.
My back cracks.
Aaaahhh.
Where to now?

The woods beckon.
Is it the woods?
Is it someone waiting for me in the woods?
Whoever or whatever, I move.
I reach out both arms and feel bark, rough.
Gravel under my feet.
Leaves over my head.
No fluorescents, no tile.
I have only my car keys.
I feel light without all my stuff.
Wind pushes through my sanctuary.
I breathe in down to my nethers.
Exhaling fully, I become lightheaded.
When was the last time I breathed in all the way?

A clearing appears.
The sun is unobstructed.
Grass spreads in a circle close to trees.
I know others have been here before.
A couple stealing a few moments.
An artist with his canvas or camera or sketchpad.
A Confederate soldier advancing or retreating.
A deer doing whatever a deer does.
I am not the first to occupy this space.
How many have come before?
How many will come after?
It is my spot for now.
I will gladly yield it to others.
When it is their turn.

I stride to the center of the patch.
I kneel down slightly off-center.
I lay down on my stomach.
I do not care about grass stains on my clothes.
I put my face in the grass and smell.
I run my fingers through it.
I embrace the ground from whence I was taken.
I am made of dirt.
I am rooted in the earth.
It is my home.
I am here.
I am nowhere else.
The world is spread beneath me.
The sky expands above me.

Wind
Grass
Trees
Sun
Dirt
Me
We are still.
We are present.
My breathing slows.
Savor the moment.
Savor the presence of the Other.
Close your eyes.
Open them again.
Murmur praise.
Then be quiet once more.

I hear a car’s horn.
I feel hot.
My arms are itchy.
Ouch.
A red ant bites me on the cheek.
That’s gonna look nice.
Lyrics from X&Y play in my head.
I need to check my email.
I haven’t had lunch.
I need to check my voicemail.
I don’t like to be quiet.
I am trying.
It is hard to be
Unplugged.
**

Cosmos-Liturgy-Sex

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I want to recommend a fine site to you. It is called Cosmos-Liturgy-Sex.

A handful of Roman Catholics run it. They focus on issues relating primarily to human sexuality and the family. John Paul II's theology of the body informs what they write.

I found the material on Cosmos-Liturgy-Sex to be of high quality and added a link to my sidebar. Give them a visit.

Why Bother With Holiness?

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Why Bother With Holiness?

Is it because you will go to hell if you don't? Is it because Jesus died for you? Is it because God commands you to? Is it because you will live longer if you do? Is it because you will secure a place on the God Squad All Star team if you do?

I think that the readings for today help to clarify the motivations for our pursuit of holiness.

Jesus loved us by giving himself for us. That is to say, he was a sacrifice to God for us. That is why we bother with holiness.

Contrast the "sweet aroma" of Christ's offering with the stench of sexual immorality and covetousness. They do not belong together. They cannot abide in the same heart. Devotion to God and idolatry will exclude one another.

There are people who say that a person can be a follower of Christ and still participate in sexual immorality and covetousness. Such people will usually not use terms like "sexual immorality" and "covetousness." They will use terms like "sexual orientation" and "a taste for the finer things." They will call for "tolerance" and "acceptance" of "alternative lifestyles" and the pursuit of the "American Dream." They will curse you if you hinder anyone from "self fulfillment."

Language is a powerful tool. We need to be responsible about who defines terms for us. It is perilously easy to fall prey to "vain words."

St. Paul is very plain when he says that God's wrath is upon those who are disobedient to his commands. He tells us not to stand too close to such folks. We only want to be close enough for them to observe goodness, righteousness and truth at work in our lives.

After casting the devil out of a person, people argued about whether or not Jesus was in cahoots with the devil. The Lord used their debate as an occasion to make a point about the very real nature of evil. Satan has a kingdom and God has a kingdom. One is a place of darkness. The other is filled with light.

There are places in between, shadowy places where allegiance has not been declared. These are the most dangerous places of all. The shadows are where a great number of people live. Maybe they are observing the (apparent) struggle between the two kingdoms. Maybe they are playing cards. Maybe they are clipping their toenails. How should I know?

Such people may feel very secure, but it is the security of ignorance rather than informed confidence. They are not strong enough to defend themselves against evil. It will overwhelm them eventually.

I do not believe that God is coercive. I think that the Lord's words are a comment on the nature of things, rather than a threat. Christ is not saying, "If you don't get it together I'm going to sick the devil on ya." He is warning us about dwelling in the shadows of spiritual indecision, halfway between light and darkness.

I lived in Dayton, Ohio for about 18 months when I was a kid. I went through half of kindergarten and all of first grade there. My sister is 3 1/2 years younger than I. During that time, when I wanted her to do something, I had a way of manipulating her. I would tell her that if she didn't do what I said I was going to call the devil and get him to take her away. Don't ask me who put that idea in my head, probably the devil.

One time we were sharing a lolipop while watching TV. I fell asleep and my sister finished the candy off. When I woke up and discovered that my candy had been consumed, I faced a dilemma. I knew that I could not make good on my threat to summon the devil. I ended up keeping my mouth shut so as to preserve my chances of using the threat of the Prince of Darkness in the future.

The devil is not God's hit man. Nevertheless, he is real and is no friend of mankind. The kingdom of God is a place of light, goodness and safety. It is a place where we can know God's love for us. It is a place where we can be free from the tyranny of our greatest enemy, our own sins. It is a place where we can live as we were intended, in holiness and righteousness all the days of our life.

Propers for Lent 3

Unwanted Mirror Page 4 - Now Available

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Check out my new short story in progress, The Unwanted Mirror. Pages 1-3 are further down the page.

My New Favorite Album

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Unwanted Mirror Page 3 - Now on Poboy Muse

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Go check out Page 3 of my new story, The Unwanted Mirror. Pages 1-2 are further down the page on Poboy Muse.

General B. H. Clendennen

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General B. H. Clendennen

Is it OK to say that preaching is entertaining? I think so, as long as we keep in mind that it is "that and more." The entertainment value certainly ranks way down on the list of the priorities of what a sermon should be. Preachers who are overly focused on entertaining their congregations are doing them a disservice. Nevertheless, the quirks, humor and life experiences of a preacher come out in his sermons. They can be a distraction from the Gospel if the preacher is ostentatious, but the presence of these things is unavoidable unless the herald refuses to inhabit the message he proclaims. When that is the case, preaching can be sterile and the opposite of entertaining, which doesn't do anyone any good.

That was a bit lengthy for what I had in mind, but away we go.

One of the most entertaining sermons I ever heard was preached by a man named Bert Clendennen. He is an old-time Pentecostal. Brother Clendennen is in 80s and still going strong. In the early 90s he retired from the church that he had founded and pastored for 35 years. He was in his late 60s back then.

I guess most pastors probably take a well deserved rest after such a long ministry. Brother Clendennen did not. He went to Russia and started an intensive, pastoral training course. From there it spread into dozens of other countries. Sometimes he taught it in person. Eventually he had it videotaped and translated into a bunch of languages. He recruited people to facilitate the course for him around the world. It's a pretty impressive story.

I was well acquainted with Clendennen for about six years. I went to hear him at conferences, listened to his tapes and retold his stories with my friends. I am fortunate to have had personal interaction with him around some meals at various locales. I grew to love him very much and still have the utmost respect for him. One of my best friends, Gary Tebbe, spent eight years in South America working for Clendennen's ministry.

Brother Clendennen preached a message in the early 80s called "Soldiers." It is by far his most well-loved sermon. I met a man who was there under the tent in the Bronx, NY that night. He said the atmosphere was electric and that Clendennen was not even scheduled to preach. "Soldiers" was delivered impromptu, which isn't all that uncommon in Pentecostal circles.

One thing that attracted me to the Pentecostals with whom I ran for 8 years was the fact that they took the faith very seriously. Now, I realize that the term "radical" has numerous negative connotations, but the dictionary definition does express something of what I was after. I grew quickly tired of the Bible study and bowling version of Christianity proffered by most youth groups and college fellowships. Something profound had happened to me when I was baptized, and I wanted to follow through on it all the way. I did not like the ennervated spirituality that I observed around me.

Looking back, I realize that Pentecostalism was not the best answer to my questions. But I do not know where else I would have found the kind of sacrificial, calloused hands and rough knees devotion that helped ground me in the disciplines of my new faith.

"Soldiers" is a sermon filled with autobiographical matter relating to Clendennen's experiences in boot camp and in the Pacific during WWII. The main thesis of the sermon is that we "endure hardness as good soldiers of Christ Jesus" (2Tim 2:3) for our own well-being, for our fellow Christians and for the world. He reminds us that we will suffer in this life, and that our duty (oh, I know that's a galling word) is to remain faithful regardless of what we face.

It is good that we remember why we are engaging in self-examination and penitence during Lent. We are concerned for our own spiritual well-being, but we also want to be able to relate to those around us in a manner that is consistent with God's holiness. We want to handle ourselves honorably in order to please our God.

It is amazing how often what we read in the Scriptures can be boiled down to the two greatest commandments: love God with all your being and love your neighbor as yourself. Lent is for us; the second greatest commandment assumes that we love ourselves. Lent is for others; we ar not to engage in fornication, defrauding or any other uncleanness. Lent is for God; we want to rid ourselves of anything that would dishonor him.

I think that those of you with spouses and children may understand better than I do the idea that our penitence during Lent is for others as much as it is for us. When we see how our selfishness, pride, anger, and laziness affects those who are close to us, we feel an increased urgency to be rid of these sins. Our prayer is similar to that of the Canaanite women in today's Gospel reading. "Lord, have mercy on me, help me, I'll take whatever you're willing to give; I am vexing those whom I love."

This courageous woman teaches us about not giving up when making supplication for ourselves or others. We know that God will answer, for he is both able and willing. If not now, then in the next life. I'm sorry if that seems like a cop out, but some of us will not be delivered until the consummation of all things. That's another post, though.

Our training in morality stretches us to our limits. It is good to know that we can call out to God for help. As we have been progressing through our Lenten pilgimage we are aware more and more of our own weakness. The collect for Lent 2 reminds us where our strength lies.

"ALMIGHTY God, who seest that we have no power of ourselves to help ourselves; Keep us both outwardly in our bodies, and inwardly in our souls; that we may be defended from all adversities which may happen to the body, and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."

The Lenten Prayer of St. Ephrem the Syrian

"O Lord and Master of my life! Take from me the spirit of sloth, faint-heartedness, lust of power, and idle talk. But give rather the spirit of chastity, humility, patience, and love to Thy servant. Yea, O Lord and King! Grant me to see my own errors and not to judge my brother; For Thou art blessed unto ages of ages. Amen."

Here are the readings for Lent 2 upon which this post is based.

Hack away.

Straight from the ESV

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That's the Ebonics Standard Version.

There was one movie that stood out last year as a story with which I could personally identify. It was "Hustle and Flow," the story of a pimp turned rapper. I did not see the movie but could not fail to notice the parallels between that narrative and my own: a middle class, suburban, white teenager who went from the hard life of watching movies and hanging out in his best friend's basement playing pool to a private college in the suburbs where he struggled to go to as many Bible studies and fellowship meetings as he could fit into his hectic schedule. Enough said.

Some rap group won "Best Song" at the Academy Awards last Sunday. The song came from the soundtrack to "Hustle and Flow." The title of their contribution to the betterment of society and the elevation of culture was "It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp."

Where have I heard that before?

Oh, yeah.

Proverbs 13:15.

"The way of the transgressors is hard."

Who knew rappers were so biblically literate?

I was glad to learn that the victorious rap troupe gave a shout out to the Lord Jesus Christ for helping them achieve such a high honor. I wonder who is the patron saint of pimps? It warmed my heart to know that Jesus got airtime in front of all those godless Hollywood celebrities. I am sure that if more folks thanked Jesus for their Oscars then we would have to start calling it "Holy-wood."

One of the hardships mentioned in the song is the difficulty pimps have in paying their rent. I am sure the 3 6 Mafia was just being modest, what with the widely publicized complications of employing prostitutes. I saw on CNBC the other day that the Prostitutes Union is one of the strongest in the country. They are constantly showing up late to work. They don't report their tips. They receive the most extensive benefits of any salaried profession, including dental.

The next time you are having a rough day at work, just remember the trials and tribulations of the men who serve the greater good by sacrificially engaging in pimpery, or pimpitude, or pimpistry, or whatever they're calling it these days.

[end sarcasm here]

Now Available - Unwanted Mirror Page 2

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The Unwanted Mirror - Page 2 is now up on Poboy Muse.

Check it out.

New Post on Poboy Muse

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I have posted the first page of a new story on Poboy Muse. Go check out The Unwanted Mirror - Page One.

I am experimenting with my short fiction site. One of the aspects of blogging that I enjoy is the instant gratification of spending an hour (sometimes more) writing and revising and then publishing it for (a precious few inhabitants of) the world to read.

I have decided to attempt writing a page or so every couple of days. I will post these portions as I write them. I must be breaking all manner of writing standards. Oh, well.

One of the purposes of my fiction blogs is to get my rear in gear. I have gotten bogged down in a number of stories. I am so pitifully undisciplined that I think I might need the quick release that I have on axegrinder present on Poboy Muse.

Stereotype Revisited

I posted this letter in November about something that happened that frustrated me. My reason for being frustrated was removed by something I found last week.

I thought that I had helped someone and that that person, in turn, had stolen from me. I allowed someone to borrow something that he needed and asked him to put it in a particular place when he finished. He did not. I thought he had stolen it.

It turns out that he returned it at the time. He actually put it back in a safe place so that no one would steal it. I found it last week by accident. It really was in a safe place!

I will never see him again. I'm glad that I'm not given to wide swings in my emotions like I was when I was younger; otherwise, i might be very dejected. I was on the phone with a friend who reads my blog when I found the item in question. We actually had a pretty good laugh about it. I am sorry that I got frustrated and am glad that the person I helped is not a thief. I felt like I needed to set things straight publically, if only for myself, since I made a public statement about the incident.

Hack away.

My, What an Austere Religion You Have

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My, What an Austere Religion You Have

When Sam and Frodo started their journey in the Lord of the Rings, Sam was loaded down with stuff from home. You remember the image of him running around with pots and pans clanging on his pack. He's got tobacco, seasonings, tea. He is doing what he can to bring some reminders of home with him. He is committed to the journey but has an eye on getting back to the Shire ASAP.

It reminds me of a camping trip I took with my father. He had been doing some short hikes and overnights. I was home for my sister's wedding in 1997, and he convinced me to go on a 3 day camping trip. I had done zero hiking in years. I didn't even have proper boots. You see where this is going.

We went shopping for food the night before we left. My dad started loading down our cart with cans of fruit coctail and other sundries. I really did not think about it at the time. I did think about it after a few hours on the Appalachian Trail the first day. I was walking up mountains in North Georgia with canned food in a backpack that weighed about 60 pounds.

Now, for some of you diehards that is nothing. More power to you, chief. I, on the other hand, would be much more in favor of what some in the biz call "ultra-light" hiking. Mercifully, my father did rent me some hiking poles so my knees did not completely give out on the descents. I probably would not have made it if I had not been toughened up by a year and a half working lawn care in Baton Rouge's 100 degree heat and 100% humidity.

In the movie version of the Lord of the Rings, sometime around his battle with the giant spider, Shelob, and his rescue of Frodo, Sam rids himself of his homely encumbrances. He and Frodo don disguises so that they might make their way through Mordor. Once all of Mordor is focused on the Black Gate, Frodo and Sam take off everything that would weigh them down as they ascend Mt. Doom.

I am not trying to make one single substantive parallel between this story and the readings for Lent 1. The thing that connects the two in my mind is the austere and spartan nature of the experiences depicted. Sam and Frodo are at the end of their strength. They are crawling up an impossibly steep mountain. They are starving and dehydrated. The Ring is overwhelming Frodo.

The Apostle Paul is assailed on every side. He is attempting to accomplish monumental tasks. As if the moral demands of ministry were not difficult enough, he is constantly bombarded from without by persecution and privation. Yet, he perseveres.

Jesus walks away from his baptism, which was attended by the affirmation of the Father and the descent of the Spirit, and goes directly into the wilderness, alone. One of the gospels says that the Spirit drove him there. He is fasting a manly fast. The devil comes and tempts him when he is hungry and alone.

And those are the readings on the first Sunday in Lent. That is what we are considering at the head of our pilgrimage to Calvary. The collect uses words like "abstinence" and "subdue." This is a time for us to wage war. This is a time for us to deal squarely with our sins. This is a time for us to believe that God can use Lent to bring us farther along in the process of sanctification.

I, for one, am cut on by this morning readings. I have to see the unavoidable connection between Paul and myself. I cannot escape the sound of Christ beckoning me to follow him into the desert. I am squirming under the knife. I am kicking against these goads. I do not want to be uncomfortable. I want to take it easy. I want, I want, I want ...

O LORD, who for our sake didst fast forty days and forty nights; Give us grace to use such abstinence, that, our flesh being subdued to the Spirit we may ever obey thy godly motions in righteousness, and true holiness, to thy honour and glory, who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen.

The readings for Lent 1 may be found here.

Hack away.

Feelin' Dusty

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Slow down. You’re movin’ too fast.
You got to make Ash Wednesday last.
Prayin’ the Collect of the Day,
Getting’ signed and Feelin’ Dusty.

Ba da da da da da da, Feelin’ Dusty.

Gettin’ ash upon your head.
Remember soon that you’ll be dead.
Ain’t deceived by no New Age thing.
Do do do do, Feelin’ Dusty.

Ba da da da da da da, Feelin’ Dusty.

I’ve got alms deeds to do and vows to keep.
I’m penitent and sober and ready to weep.
May God, in his mercy, help me wake from sleep.
Lent, I love you, we are all dusty.

Ba da da da da da da …

Apologies to Simon and Garfunkel for the poor rip-off of “Feelin’ Groovy”)

Listen to “Feelin’ Dusty” here.

I have heard from more than one source that 90% or more of household dust is human skin. I am just too lazy to do a fact check on that. I have gotten pretty creeped out by living in many different rental houses since I graduated from college. I mean, come on, significant portions of the former occupants are still present in the house. It sounds like some kind of horror movie. How about if you move in somewhere that one of the former occupants died? Parts of that person are in a grave somewhere, but other parts of him are on your windowsill.

When I worked in the lawn care industry we used high power backpack blowers to clean up yards after we had done our cutting and edging and trimming. If it hadn’t rained in a while the dust would be unbearable. Think Pigpen from "Peanuts." We would walk to the truck after we finished covered in dust. We would then do something that actually felt good. We took turns turning the blowers on each other. When the high-speed air hit us it looked like we were made of dust and were disintegrating. Not a bad picture of the combined effects of the Fall and time on us.

“Dust you are and unto dust shall you return.”

A clergyman of my acquaintance told me that during the imposition of ashes he is almost brought to tears. He is reminded of the fact that some of the people he signs will not be around next year on Ash Wednesday. That must be an awful sense of power to have the words you speak over people literally fulfilled upon them. God help our priests to bear that burden and not be overwhelmed.

Like most teenagers, I thought that I was invincible when I was in high school. If asked, I would have acknowledged the fact that I could die. A girl in my class died in a skiing accident. A guy that I had been friends with died in a motorcycle accident. I went to both funerals. Nevertheless, I used to drive like a maniac when I was in high school. I even got in a high-speed chase with an 18-wheeler coming home from the funeral of a friend’s father. Sometime during college the reality of my own death began to dawn on me.

The Word vs. Psycho-babble

I am a believer in the value of counseling. I have benefited from it myself, although not in a strictly professional context. What I take great issue with is the kind of counseling that would either contradict or reinterpret the Scriptures so as to gut them of the meaning that the Church has seen in them for 2 millennia.

May God shower his grace upon a counselor who, when needed, would read today’s portion that is appointed for the epistle. It speaks of being estranged from God. Some counseling actually shields people from God, rather than encouraging them to run to him for healing. We can be so attuned to the people’s woundedness that we become contradictors of the Word.

Lent is a season for us to recognize our corporate and personal waywardness. If you have kept a short account with God and your neighbor, have mercy on the rest of us poor wretches and join us in seeking the Lord. Lent is a time for us to recognize the way we, as individuals and as the Church, have offended the Lord.

We can be assured that he stands ready to receive us, “for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.” “Who knows” what he might do in response to our heart felt penitence? Whatever it is, it will be good. We are reminded by the collect that we will pray every day during Lent that God does not hate anything that he has created.

Lent is a time for remembering our priorities. There are reminders of the transitory nature of this life, like fasting, ashes and confession. We are led to think about the life to come and how this life prepares us for the next. All the way through we are reminded of the goodness of the Lord and his desire to lead us from death to life, from sin to holiness and from the power of Satan to the power of God.

The readings for Ash Wednesday are here.

Hack away.

Super Friends Lenten Devotional Collaboration

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Make sure that you do not miss the Lenten Devotional Collaboration going on over at Lent and Beyond. Karen B. is the organizer of it all, and should be praised.

It will be my turn on March 15 and April 7, but don't wait until then to check it out. There are some thoroughbreds who have signed on to contribute. Don't hate, participate.

I suppose that if I had not been invited to offer a submission my reaction would have been like that of Commodus in the movie "Gladiator."

"AM I NOT DEVOTIONAL!?"

Hack away.