Today, one of my students
reflected on his experience of imposing ashes in the parking lot of his
internship church. He said he knows now some of what it feels like to be
homeless when people refused to look in his eyes as they rushed by. How often
do we refuse to look into the eyes of another, especially when they look seedy,
or when we are too busy, or don’t want to be bothered?
As I looked into the eyes of
people, some of whom I did not know, to place a cross of ashes on their head, I
was aware of time standing still, at least for a moment. When I helped to
remind them of how much God loved them in spite of how broken they might be, I
saw a child of God looking out of their eyes.
Dust to dust; ashes to ashes; grace
upon grace, setting us free.
Isaiah 58:9b-10
If
you remove the yoke from among you, the pointing of the finger, the speaking of
evil, if you offer your food to the hungry and satisfy the needs of the
afflicted, then your light shall rise in the darkness and your gloom be like
the noonday.
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