Marked by ashes.

I thought I would post a prayer particularly relevant for my Ash Wednesday this year:

You are the God who feeds and nourishes. 

You are the God who assures that we have more than enough, 

and we do not doubt that

you satisfy the desire of every living thing.

Even in such an assurance, however,

we scramble for more food. 

After we have filled all our baskets

with manna,

   we seek a surplus - 

enough education to plan ahead, 

enough power to protect our supply,

enough oil to assure that protection.

And in the midst of that

comes your word,

     that we share bread and feed the hungry,

even to the least and so to you.

We mostly keep our bread for ourselves,

       our neighbors,

       and our friends.

It does not occur to us often,

to feed our enemies,

to share your bounty with

those who threaten us.

We do not often remember to break vicious cycles

   of hostility

by free bread

by free water

by free wine

by free milk.

Until we remember that you are the giver of all good gifts,

     ours to enjoy,

     ours to share.

Stir us by your spirit beyond fearful accumulation

toward outrageous generosity,

   that giving bread to others

makes for peace,

   that giving drink to others

makes for justice,

   that giving and sharing opens the world

and assures abundance for all.

We pray this even as we ponder the gift of your Son

   whom we ingest as bread and wine

and tasting, find ourselves

forgiven and renewed. 

Feed us till we want no more!

- Walter Brueggemann

I'm not able to be physically marked by ashes today, but today we all remember that we are marked by ashes.  We are dust, and to dust we shall return.  I wish you well as we journey in to the beautiful wilderness of the Lenten season.