Lent began with a whimper, so to speak, with a very low attendance at the evening Ash Wednesday service. Several people who had told me they would be there did not show, and the choir easily outnumbered the congregation. Even so, a couple of choir members phoned in their absences, and I found myself the sole member of the bass section for the evening. No matter! It is important to celebrate this liturgy for those who need and desire it, and I believe we did so with some grace and reverence. Afterwards, I went to the hospital to see a family, whose father is near death from cancer in the palliative ward. To my shock, I found that his wife has been diagnosed with cancer. She says it all seems like a bad dream. Today we will bury a long-time member, a lady who sang in the Cathedral choir for 40 years, before infirmity forced her to retire.
As I noted before, the ashes of yesterday's liturgy serve at one level as a reminder of the transience of human life. My tasks in ministry only serve to underline this fact.
Remember you are dust, and to dust you shall return.
Amen.
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This is Robin Walker's blog.
I am the Dean of the Diocese of Brandon & Rector of St. Matthew's Anglican Cathedral, in Brandon, Manitoba, Canada. I have been in this ministry since January of 2003.
My big interest is "preaching among exiles," to borrow a term from Walter Brueggemann.
This blog is mainly devoted to my sermons, and the sometimes circuitous process by which I get to them, as well as current issues in church life as I experience them. I welcome constructive comment on the content of my personal posts. Comments on linked articles should be directed to the appropriate authors. Note that this is a moderated blog. I will not accept comments dealing with local and/or personal issues.
The main page normally contains only material from the current week. Past articles are found in other categories.
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Dust to dust. Thursday of the first week of Lent
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