Ash Wednesday, Yr B (2024) The Rev. Karen C. Barfield

Ash Wednesday, Year B (2024)                                               The Rev. Karen C. Barfield

Isaiah 58:1-12                                                                     St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church

Psalm 103

2 Cor 5:20b-6:10

Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21

In the name of the one, holy, and living God:

            Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifying Spirit. Amen.

One of my favorite spiritual authors is Henri Nouwen.

I want to share with you some of his words that capture the spirit of Lent:

“Our life is a short time in expectation,

a time in which sadness and joy kiss each other at every moment.

“There is a quality of sadness that pervades all the moments of our lives.

“It seems that there is no such thing as a clear-cut pure joy,

     but that even in the most happy moments of our existence we sense a tinge of sadness.

“In every satisfaction,

there is an awareness of limitations.

“In every success,

there is the fear of jealousy.

“Behind every smile,

there is a tear.

“In every embrace,

there is loneliness.

“In every friendship,

distance.

“And in all forms of light,

there is the knowledge of surrounding darkness….

“But this intimate experience in which every bit of life is touched by a bit of death

can point us beyond the limits of our existence.

“It can do so by making us look forward in expectation to the day when our hearts will be filled with perfect joy, a joy that no one shall take away from us.” (taken from Ronald Rolheiser, The Holy Longing, p. iii)

Looking forward in expectation to perfect joy…

that is the piece that often seems missing on our Lenten journeys.

We are called to observe a holy Lent:

 by self-examination and repentance,

            by prayer, fasting and self-denial,

                                    and by reading and meditating on God’s holy Word…

But…

 what is the point of our self-examination and repentance,

our fasting and self-denial?

Is it to feel unworthy…

to wallow in our short-comings…

or is it something else?

How we view our created nature is critical in answering this question:

            Are we a sinful and broken people in need of redemption?

Or, are we created as whole and good,

and thus in need of healing and restoration?

According to our creation story in Genesis,

we are created as good…indeed, very good!

God creates us out of an overflowing abundance of joy, love, and creativity.

According to the Judeo-Christian story,

God creates us with original blessing,

       not original sin.

Today’s psalmist sings out:

“Bless the Lord, O my soul,

            and all that is within me, bless God’s holy Name….

God forgives all your sins

            and heals all your infirmities….

…satisfies you with good things…

The LORD is full of compassion and mercy,

            slow to anger and of great kindness…

God’s mercy is great upon those who fear him….

Bless the Lord, O my soul.”

So, again I ask:

What is the point of our self-examination and repentance,

prayer, fasting, and self-denial?

According to the 2nd letter to the Corinthians,

the point is reconciliation with God!

Isaiah and Matthew give us pointers as to how to go about this reconciliation…

Give alms…

Let us share our resources:

            by feeding those who are hungry,

        by giving clothing to those who carry their only clothes with them,

                        by sharing in one another’s burdens.

Let us spend our time with those who are sick,

or lonely,

or mourning the loss of a loved one.

Fast…

Let us consume less:

            by eating only enough to satisfy our hunger,

      by purchasing only as much as we need… and giving away what we don’t:

                        Let us live our lives from a viewpoint of abundance, not scarcity.

Let us create space for our minds:

free from constantly checking our email,

Facebook posts,

       and incessant entertainment.

Let us be mindful of the language we use:

            resisting gossip or rudeness,

                        honoring others with our speech…

      perhaps we even curb our need for commentary,

                 or speak up if we usually remain silent.

Perhaps in our silence we listen to the stories of our neighbors

            and discern where perhaps we sit in judgment

or have ourselves contributed to and benefited from an oppressive system.

Spend time in prayer…

            Perhaps we take up a rule of praying the daily office,

                        or a walk in the woods.

            Perhaps we spend time in utter silence,

      or enjoy a conversation with a friend…being the presence of God to another.

Perhaps we participate in the Rite of Reconciliation,

            naming our sins before God and another,

      hearing God’s forgiveness pronounced

and feeling its cleansing power wash over us.

Perhaps we ask forgiveness from someone we have harmed

            or let go of a grudge that binds our hearts.

Isaiah suggests that if we engage in these things,

            then our light will rise in the darkness…

                        and we shall be like a watered garden,

      like a spring of water, whose waters never fail.

Dear friends,

            As we embark this (day) evening on a holy Lenten journey,

     I pray that God may lead us in love,

                        in clarity of mind and heart to reveal our places of brokenness,

                 that we may seek and find healing, reconciliation, and restoration.

Amen.