Lent is seen at St John’s as an opportunity to grow closer to God, each other and be empowered for service in the wider community and world. We began Lent with four Ash Wednesday liturgies of Eucharist, Imposition of Ashes and sermons. The Rector shared a poem with the Parish for all of our reflection as we go through this season:

Ash Wednesday

Last years palm crosses

Brought in by the faithful

Burned crosses

Turned to black ash

To mix with water

To use to trace the cross

On the forehead

For the start of Lent

Ash Wednesday

The priest says

As ash is ‘imposed’

“Remember you are dust

And to dust you shall return”

Seems a miserable line!

But not at all

Life giving

In other words

‘Put all your worries

Put all your selfish ambitions

Put all your possessions

All your comforts

Into perspective”

The human being

Says mysterious faith

Has Eternal destiny

To live forever

We, to be nurtured in this

To prepare for

These eternal ‘habitations’

Eternal forever bliss

There is this life

Seen as part of eternity, forever life

So often our lives

Our priorities, our concerns

Are not to do with the eternal

Yet it is fostered in and through human life and care of creation

NOW,

Quality lasting love

Quality lasting justice

Lasting peace

Lasting real quality Life

Encounter with God, Mystery

Deepening spiritual life

Deepening love of the sacred

The ash is to say

Remember these healthy priorities

Not the transitory

Work at things

That matter, can be lasting

Participate in bringing in love NOW

Participate in bringing in justice NOW

Participate in bringing in peace NOW

Participate in growing in knowledge of God, Mystery NOW

Participate in growing in living out good spiritual values NOW

To make life, your life, others

The rest of creation

So much better

These things matter eternally

The size of our house, car

The size of our pension and pension plan

Getting and having the ‘right’ job

All kind of matter

But don’t matter in the end at all

People matter, God matters, we matter

The animals and the Universe/s matter

The eternal matters

Which begins in this life!

The ash cries out

Concentrate on what is important

Work at love, justice and peace

Growing in knowledge and experience of depth, Mystery

Happy Lent my friend

Happy Ash Wednesday

Priorities are being challenged!

How will we respond?