1001 South Fourth Street, Philadelphia PA 19147
(215) 336-1444, welcome@emanuel-lutheran.org
Cornelius D. Eaddy, Pastor
The Rev. William G. Erat, Mentoring Pastor

Ash Wednesday
Wednesday, March 8, 2000
Cornelius D. Eaddy

Today we gather in the middle of the week to enter into a season that is sometimes misunderstood. Today we officially enter into the season of Lent. The purple is up - promises of giving up things have been made --we are ready to steam full ahead into the season that gets us right for Easter. This season of self-reflection, this season of self-renewal, this season of dependence on God.

In that gospel lesson we encounter Mark's Gospel, which warns us about fasting, and praying- the real scope of this Gospel lesson is focus on our relationship with God. Don't let what your face shows to men be you guide, but focus on your relationship with God. I must ask, however, that this not be a license to neglect your relationship with people, which we sometimes do, so heavenly-holy that we are no earthly good, but simply to put it in the proper perspective. Divine/human relationship first, Human relationship second. This sounds so easy, but the truth of the matter is that it can become a difficult thing

Even in worship - Brother José painted the picture so pointedly last Sunday. We come to worship not to impress people by our worship but we come to worship in order to be in relationship to God. Now, that doesn't mean that our worship doesn't need to be spirited, but it means that the spirit ought to be a mechanism in which we connect in relationship to God.

On Ash Wednesday we receive the ashes and we are subjected to the words "remember, man, you are dust and to dust you shall return." No greater words are more appropriate for this season for our self reflection with God. Sometimes we get this all mixed up . . . we think that we are more than we are. This thinking sometimes causes us to build Idols not only of ourselves but of things….Oh but what an idol-buster when we hear the words, "Remember that you are Dust...and to dust you shall return"! But I'm the soloist on the Choir . . . but I'm the biggest giver . . . but I'm the Pastor…

The sign of the cross is put on you head to remind you of the suffering of Christ.

Ashes. Last year's palms, the same very thing that was used to rejoice, is now used to remind us of our dependence……

The ashes, however, are mixed with oil. This oil makes it possible for us to wear the ashes in hope. Yes, I'm dust. But because of the anointing of a king -- because of His suffering -- I am somebody in Him