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My 6 year old daughter died in a horrific car crash on this day, Ash Wednesday, February 18th, many years ago. Her 10 year old brother, also in the car, was seriously injured but lived. The car was being driven by their mother, my former wife at the time of the death of one of our children. Let’s just say that I became the sole, legal, custodial parent of my son that day by court order.
Ash Wednesday is the day when we say, “Ashes to ashes, dust to dust” to remind us of our own mortality and the reminder to live one day at a time. No matter what.
Ash Wednesday is also a reminder, not only of the bitter and sweet, timely and untimely losses we have sustained and might yet encounter, but also of the precious, fragile, joyous, loving and wholesome blessings we have received and are receiving at this moment.
My daughter, Maya, died 1 day. But she lived over 2,500. Both are real, both seem too short, and neither this day nor any day should be taken for granted or ignored. From ashes we come and to ashes we return. From the womb of God we came and to the heart of God we return.
Tonight at 7:00 we have a service with much silence, simple music, and prayerful introspection at the Congregational Church of Patchogue, 95 East Main Street, next door to Chase bank. You are welcome to join, just as you are. I will see you tonight or I won’t. Both are fine.
My name is Rev. Dwight Lee Wolter. I am a human born child of God and your spiritual sibling.
I close for now with a word that translates into English as “so be it.” That word is: Amen.
Pastor Dwight
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