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St. George's Episcopal Church Roseburg, Oregon Ash Wednesday 1 March 2006 Go To St. George's Home Page

Joel 2:1-2, 12-17
Psalm 103:8-14
2 Corinthians 5:20b-21, 6:1-10
Matthew 6:1-6; 6:16-21
The Collect of the Day
From the Revised Common Lectionary as Adapted for Use by the Episcopal Church
and Authorized by the 74 th General Convention of the ECUSA

“Beware of practicing your piety before others in order to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven. “So whenever you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be praised by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your alms may be done in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. “And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. “And whenever you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces so as to show others that they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that your fasting may be seen not by others but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:1-6; 6:16-21)

Unto Dust Shall We Return
The Rev. Dr. Bill Stroop, Rector

     Lisa Suhay published a story that begins like this: Leaf looked out across the pink dawn sky and down over the spring garden. The dewy breeze grazed it and left it fluttering … Leaf adored all of the elements – wind, sun and rain. But it was most certainly in love with the wind. Wind gave it the freedom of motion … Wind made Leaf to dance.[1]

     Wind whistled haunting tunes through the branches; it whispered, and sometimes it even sang … “[I have been] high up in the mountain to the very door of Heaven today,” Wind told … Leaf. “I have heard the voice of Life itself, and it is so beautiful.”

     Leaf shuddered.. “When will life speak to me?” Leaf asked Wind … [Wind replied] “You can hear Life’s voice in me.” I will love you for all time,” Leaf whispered to the moving air around it. “I could not be happier.”

     When Wind told Leaf that Wind would love Leaf for all time, Leaf was filled with happiness.

     Hearing Leaf’s joy, Tree emitted a deep chuckle. “Enjoy your youth and beauty while you can, for soon enough you will be withered and brown, dry as dust, and blown away by the same breeze as stirs your heart today … Your time will come to curse the wind and the way of things.”

     The Tree said no more and Leaf tried not to think about what Tree had said. Of course, it had heard the stories of how leaves grow old and die, but it would never be hateful. Leaf shouted to the world, “I will never hate Wind. I will not give into fear or unhappiness!”

     The next time Wind came to call, Leaf was still fearful. Leaf could not help but ask. “When I become old, dry, and brittle, will you destroy me as Tree says?” Wind said, “I will not destroy you, dear one. All earthly things grow old and dry. That is not my doing.” Leaf was shaking, and Wind could see Leaf’s fear. Wind added, “Don’t give in to hate and sorrow, and when the time comes for you to fall, I will be there to catch you.”

     Time passed. Leaf grew and changed. At first it became big and strong. Then, as the air grew chill, Leaf began to take on the most magnificent of colors. “You are most beautiful today,” whispered Wind. “I think that of all the leaves in the world, there is not one to match you.”

     “It is the beginning of the end for you and all your kind,” Tree [declared]. “Soon, now, oh so soon, you will be nothing but a speck in the dirt.

     As the days passed, Leaf began to feel thin and tired … Leaf knew its time grew short. Still it would not be sad, because each day now Wind told Leaf of the wonderful adventures that were to come.

     Seeing Leaf clinging to happiness made Tree angry. One day when Wind came to call, Tree shook for all it was worth, and Leaf snapped away from its branch and began to fall. Tree watched and waited for Leaf to scream and cry, to realize what horror had befallen it.

     Instead, Tree heard the sound of laughter.

     “I am flying!” Leaf laughed in pure joy. “You are falling! Plunging!” shouted Tree. “I am soaring like a little bird,” Leaf sang out. “See how I go!”

     Leaf felt itself lifted up. Wind had kept its promise. “I cannot take you far right now, just to rest on the ground. No matter what happens, do not be afraid. I will return for you.”

     Leaf rested upon the ground. [Through the roots in the ground], Leaf could feel Tree rumble. “You see, now you will become just like all the others. It is all just like I said. Just give up now” Tree said.

     Today is Ash Wednesday. Lent is a time of transition when we can get in touch with our Souls, with Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, and with God. We mark the beginning of Lent by remembering that we are really little more than a kind of dust in transition. But we also recognize that this is a time of anticipation and hope; hope grounded in the faithfulness of God’s promise to us through Jesus Christ. God’s promise is not only in the resurrection, but in God’s willingness to be with us in our suffering, our pain, our losses. God knew the “consequences of creatureliness that caused illness and death – including the poor choices we often make.” [2] And God sent Jesus to act among human kind; to preach, and teach, and heal. Jesus carried out the work of God on earth, and in that we have God’s eternal promise.

     After a time [of lying on the ground] Leaf nodded off to [something like] sleep. [After a time] Leaf awoke. Instead of feeling old stiff and papery, Leaf could move about. It could hear Wind singing softly and it felt itself lifted up and spun higher and higher.

     “Did I not promise all would be well?” crooned Wind. “You have become the dust of the earth, so light and so fine, I can carry you anywhere with me.”

     And so Wind did carry the dust of leaf and scattered it over fields, the mountains, and into streams and the oceans. The whole earth was covered with Leaf. Everywhere Leaf fell brought a grain of pure joy, a drop of hope, and a touch of love for wind and life.

     Leaf did not understand what would happen when it snapped away from the tree, any more than the disciples understood what would happen when Jesus died. But Leaf, never gave in to hate, and it trusted the reassuring voice of Wind to love and protect it.

     Jesus was saved and transformed by the power of God’s great love, just as leaf was transfigured into Heaven’s Dust. Jesus’ love gives us hope and sustains our faith. He and the Holy Spirit are with us during our darkest times, just as Wind was with Leaf. We should be of good cheer; His voice calls to us.

     Can you hear it? 

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Joel 2:1-2, 12-17

Blow the trumpet in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of the LORD is coming, it is near--a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness! Like blackness spread upon the mountains a great and powerful army comes; their like has never been from of old, nor will be again after them in ages to come. Yet even now, says the LORD, return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; rend your hearts and not your clothing. Return to the LORD, your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and relents from punishing. Who knows whether he will not turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind him, a grain offering and a drink offering for the LORD, your God? Blow the trumpet in Zion; sanctify a fast; call a solemn assembly; gather the people. Sanctify the congregation; assemble the aged; gather the children, even infants at the breast. Let the bridegroom leave his room, and the bride her canopy. Between the vestibule and the altar let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep. Let them say, “Spare your people, O LORD, and do not make your heritage a mockery, a byword among the nations. Why should it be said among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’”

Psalm 103:8-14

8 The Lord is full of compassion and mercy, *
slow to anger and of great kindness.

9 He will not always accuse us, *
nor will he keep his anger for ever.

10 He has not dealt with us according to our sins, *
nor rewarded us according to our wickedness.

11 For as the heavens are high above the earth, *
so is his mercy great upon those who fear him.

12 As far as the east is from the west, *
so far has he removed our sins from us.

13 As a father cares for his children, *
so does the Lord care for those who fear him.

14 For he himself knows whereof we are made; *
he remembers that we are but dust.

2 Corinthians 5:20b-21, 6:1-10

We entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. As we work together with him, we urge you also not to accept the grace of God in vain. For he says, “At an acceptable time I have listened to you, and on a day of salvation I have helped you.” See, now is the acceptable time; see, now is the day of salvation! We are putting no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, but as servants of God we have commended ourselves in every way: through great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, holiness of spirit, genuine love, truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; in honor and dishonor, in ill repute and good repute. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; as unknown, and yet are well known; as dying, and see--we are alive; as punished, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing everything.

Matthew 6:1-6; 6:16-21

“Beware of practicing your piety before others in order to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven. “So whenever you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be praised by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your alms may be done in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. “And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. “And whenever you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces so as to show others that they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that your fasting may be seen not by others but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

The Collect of the Day

Almighty and everlasting God, you hate nothing you have made and forgive the sins of all who are penitent: Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of you, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen .

[1] The story of ‘Leaf’ is modified from Lisa Suhay. “Heaven’s Dust.” Tell me Another Story. Brewster, MA: Paraclete Press, 2001. 100-105.

[2] Paraphrased from Lisa Kraske Cressman. “Journey in Compassion.” (Eds.) Roger Alling and David J. Schlafer. Preaching Through the Year of Mark. Sermons that Work VIII. Harrisburg, PA: Morehouse Publishing, 1999. 113.

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Copyright © 2006, William G. Stroop - All Rights Reserved.
1 March 2006

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