Today we enter a holy season, and we begin it with a decisive claim: “You are dust, and to dust you shall return.” It is a stark recognition, sometimes jarring to receive. Lent is a spiritual journey, and the Church knows that a spiritual journey is fruitful only if it begins in humility—a recognition of our bodily frailty, but even more, a recognition of our spiritual need. Fasting is not something we come to with a cavalier spirit, declaring that this will be the year when we make it through all of Lent without chocolate. Lent is not a game in which we play at spiritual growth and build strength only for our own egos.
Instead, we begin at the bottom, in the low place where we realize we are but creatures, given dignity and power by the breath God breathes into our lungs, our lives, and our efforts at both spiritual growth and justice. From there we have courage to see ourselves as we really are—beloved and broken. Then, we are ready to do the hard work that Lent asks of us.
Rather than fasting for fun, we are, instead, primed to dig into the roots of the sin of racism both within us and deep in the systems of our society. Having been humbled by our humanity, so finite in relation to this good God, we then have courage to face such a daunting challenge, knowing it will not change by our strength, but only God’s.
So we begin this season today with humility. With dust and frailty. And with the God who brings life among ashes.
How is God inviting you to respond?
Prayer
Dear God, conversations about racism are difficult. Yet we come together, willing to do the hard spiritual work of resisting racism. We thank you, Lord, for safe space to consider our national struggle, our church's struggle, and our personal struggles with racism.
