millions upon millions of catholics
(and some other christians too)
will identify themselves with smudges
of ashes on the forehead this day
they will accept their marking along
with everyone else who believes in this
this is a worldwide community act
and it also by implication indicates
the commonality of all human experience
it is not a mark of distinction so much as
a visible statement of belonging to the human race
and a recognition of the centrality of our story
now christ is marked with ashes from last years'
palms of palm sunday
and we begin once again the humbling reality
of our pilgrimage in time
these black dirty smudges are our banner of hope
we have little else to go on
making true our gesture of faith
that this meaning we allow to mark our foreheads
is enough to carry all our hearts' hopes
to their ultimate destination
god knows
it's a good thing the eucharist follows
the ashes
else we'd be the most foolish of people
perhaps we already are
ashes to ashes
we all fall down
i thought about getting ashes
ReplyDeletefound a church near campus
that was distributing them at 4:30 pm
but i couldn't get away from work in time
my heart was there though
we had a nice morning prayer service
at our church
the pastor started and ended it
with a cd of taize music
which was actually one of
the most helpful parts of the service for me
there were eight of there
sitting in the choir area
four on each side facing each other
i think there is definitely
some potential there
we read psalm 51 responsively
the pastor alternating
with the rest of us
i think i will suggest
that next time we act
as choir 1 and choir 2
exhorting each other
with the alternating stanzas
of the psalm of the day
who knows
maybe we could eventually
even chant a psalm
i don't know
that may be asking too much
we'll see
i will ponder ashes today
pema chodron has a teaching
i suppose it is probably
a generic buddhist teaching
using the thought of death
as a tool
sort of a "if i were dying
would this thing that is
bothering me today matter?"
type of exercise
i haven't fully connected with it yet
but it does remind me of the benedictine
teaching to
keep death daily before your eyes
i do sense an inkling
of freedom and release
in the benedictine formulation
though i can't quite put my finger on it
in both traditions
i think there is a sense
of using this life
to prepare one's self for death
whether the specific focus be
presenting one's whole life
as an offering to god
at the moment of death
or whether it be practicing
letting go in the little losses
that happen throughout life
so as to be ready for the ultimate
letting go into death
to surrender one's self easily
in that moment
maybe surrendering
will be my word for the day today
surrendering myself to God
and to others
in our prayer service yesterday
we recited a version
of the confeitor
from the book of common prayer
i like the communal aspect of it
the confession of sin
(generically, not specifically)
to our brothers and sisters in christ
and with them
there is something profound about that
for me
maybe i'm just lonely
and longing for any sort
of connection with others
i guess i'm just rambling here
thanks for listening
is that one thing
that communities do for each other?
listen to each other ramble?
time now for me
to head out the door
for a physical ramble
with my dog
sister sally of the mountains
Do they have a Mardi gras in Montana, jh? Pardner, we're headed down to the Billings Carnevale--make sure to be wearin' yr masque...that jester thang. heh heh :]
ReplyDeleteAshes a few years ago we did (they mix in some wax, yo pienso, and took like a few days to wear off). But was...episco..--so didn't really count anyway. RCC does apparently make an exception on AW and allows non-cats. to receive La Ceniza. Lent sacrifice? No cheap American beer, but only good booze. A-men
speaking of sacrifice
ReplyDeletei've thought about forgoing meat
for lent this year
i seem to be headed that direction anyway
cooking lots of vegetarian meals lately
i found myself at a restaurant a few weeks ago
debating between one of the specials
rack of lamb
versus a gorgonzola-pear-walnut salad that was on the menu
i love lamb
and don't often have the opportunity to eat it
so i was sort of surprised to find myself
relunctant to order it
something about the phrase
"rack of lamb"
got me to wondering
just which part of the body
is the "rack" of a lamb?
and that made me think of the lamb
as an actual living being
something that has never really
happened to me before
and found myself opting for the salad
out of compassion for the lamb
maybe the buddhist stuff i've been reading
about awakeing compassion for all living beings
is starting to have an effect on me
i haven't made any formal commitment about this
i had chicken tacos for lunch yesterday
(but no meat for dinner)
instead of becoming a vegetarian
i think it is more likely i will head
in the direction of something i read
on the menu of a tibetan restaurant recently
it described the traditional
tibetan meal as dal (lentils) and bhaat (rice)
and said that meat was a special treat
that was enjoyed on rare occasions
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteInteresting, S.
ReplyDeletePork I can do without, though enjoy poultry, fish...beef sometimes (wit a twinge of guilt...) or mutton on very rare occasions (basque cuisine--¡sabrosa!). While I don't generally agree with zealous vegetarians (or boodhistic types) I would agree the cattle/pork business is Bad Joss--. But the meat's already slaughtered--so barring some vegan-laws, I don't think it's a sin per se to consume. The kosher laws seem rather absurd in ways--no to shellfish, or shrimp, and pork, but not to beef?? Beef cattle certainly does far more damage eco-wise than does ..shrimp. Quite a bit more than pork as well. Locusts are kosher too, but....Ill paseo on the fajitas de locustas . Another Lenten sacrfice! No locusts. :]
i'm with you J
ReplyDeletei will muster all my courage
and give up locusts for lent
i've wondered lately
whether buddhists take a stand on abortion
it would seem to me that
the development of compassion
for all sentient beings
would surely extend to fetuses
(is that the correct plural form?)
as much as to any animal
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteYes, a B.-ist might argue in that fashion, S.
ReplyDelete--though I support the right of
first-term abortion for unplanned/wanted preg., with reservations. In some cases-...an impoverished single mother, perhaps alcoholic, etc--A. might be the greater good. Wouldn't a just Being want us to weigh goods/not-goods?
the ecological types who argue for the equality of all species I don't generally agree with, though. Couldn't a B-ist also argue against eradicating the locusts with pesticide?? Do locusts have rights? Not to me. Nor do spiders, ants, roaches. etc. Tho'....granted there is a bit of guilt when wiping out ant swarms.
But mammals quite different. Eating shrimp or..dungeness crab or salmon steaks I don't consider a sin. Even turkeys and pollo not too bright. But....
cows, or pigs? Sort of simple compared to humans but slightly sentient (and I wd say ..cows feel pain..whereas fish, very little, birds maybe a bit) . Assuming it exists, the wheel of Karma...or is it Jesus-- may not approve of the cow-a-cide, though I don't think its equivalent to murder (of humans) . "Great chain of Being" the RCC called it did they not? Or...giros/gyres....
that said, Im not a guru. S (or buddhist), though intrigued by some eastern thought (yet repulsed at times as well...). Some hindu music sounds nice (tho' probably...hippyish perhaps to some). Not sure west and east can meet, though Schopenhauer suggested they might--but I doubt the local WASP church cares for Schopenhauer (nor does the RCC). I value reason, democracy, science too much for ...the buddhistic resignation . Take care.
ReplyDeletewhen i rescue a spider
ReplyDeletetake it outside and release it
rather than crushing it
i feel good about myself
it feels good
to have compassion
for another being
whether that being is sentient or not
i'm not saying i never kill a spider
nor that it would be a sin if i did
i'm just noticing that it feels good
to discover and nurture
compassionate qualities within myself
there may be some days
when rescuing a spider
is the only thing i do
that i actually feel good
about having done
it can be a doorway
to resuscitating
my capacity to love
i like this concept you mention
about the great chain of being
i'm going to think about that for a while
the great chain of being
ReplyDeleteYes, quite interesting concept--Aristotelian, IIRC (though ...with some biblical support). Perhaps Padre jh could explain why/how it still matters, and/or might replace mere Darwinian mechanism.
At times I ...nearly believe in the Argument from Design, S. Roses, fruit trees in bloom, ...lupine fields! Or...per TSE, April is the cruelest month. Yet by July , and/or a few dozen zopilotes circling (ie, black vultures migrate to AV area early spring/late fall), or barely missing a mojave green whilst cycling...and I don't . Natural disasters--quakes, plagues, floods-- also don't so good for a Designer (at least christian sort).
Authentic faith implies believing notwithstanding the apparent lack of evidence, I guesss. :|
hey i have enjoyed the conversation here quite a back and forth tirade of good cognitive banter
ReplyDeleteit's the sort of thing i am accostomed to hearing at the monastic dining room tables and in the coffee rooms of religious houses in general maybe coffee and tea are here implicitly and people share these things witht he words
coffee tea and cyber virtual repartee'
whole hearted approval from the board of regents at communitas dies
jh
I've been wanting to respond to J's suggestion that "authentic faith implied believing notwithstanding the apparent lack of evidence." I'm not sure I agree with that, but haven't yet had time to think through what I would like to say.
ReplyDelete... maybe later
lots of grading to do this weekend