“YOU ARE DUST, AND TO DUST YOU SHALL
RETURN”
A Biblico-Theological Reflection
for Ash Wednesday (Joel 2:12-18; 2 Cor.5:20-6:2; Matt.6
:1-6,16-18)
Rev. Jeric C. Cortado, Southern Philippines Methodist Colleges, Inc., Kidapawan City, Philippines
Ash
Wednesday marks the beginning of the Lenten Season. The ashes used is a symbol
of our humanity and our humility, our sorrow and repentance (Genesis 18:27). The
celebration of the Service of the Ash Wednesday could be traced back its development
in Leviticus 16, when Moses commanded by the Lord to establish an annual day of
repentance for the Israelites. In Leviticus 16:34 it stressed the instruction
for the people of God that, “this is to
be a lasting ordinance for you (the people of God)….. to be made once a year
for all the sins of the Israelites (of the people).”
As we begin our journey in this
season of lent, first, we must bear in mind that our existence as created in the
image of God thus, affirm the
sacramental character of the natural world. Covering the water, air, soil,
minerals, energy resources, plants, animal life, and space as described in the
UMC Social Principles (paragraph 160). In Genesis 2:7 it says that God took
some soil from the ground and form a human being out of it. God breathed
life-giving breath into the human’s nostrils and the human being began to live fully
immersed in God’s presence manifested through the earth or the natural world. The sacramental character of the earth
reminds us to our existence in harmony to God who manifest through the natural world surrounding us. Thus, the
sacramental character of the earth is to be the visible expression of the
immeasurable grace, power, and love of God to us and through us.
Second, our celebration
affirms our sacramental characteristic as
created in the image of God gifted
with the capacity of building relationship with one another, and to project
God’s love, mercy, and justice. For the Hebrew people (the indigenous people of
the Old Testament), it is inherent for the human being which project the image
of God here on earth to be actively engaged in a collective life with the rest
of the people of society. This is the essence of the statement, “You are dust”, that reminds us to our
connection with the earth. This simply says “You
are the earth”, possessing the sacramental essence of the earth, like a
womb of our mother, an inhabited place and state that nurtures, protects and
gives life.
Third, our celebrations
affirmed our nature as created in
the image of God existing with a
community living a collective life. The statement “to the dust you shall return” is an affirmation of our nature to
be in the community where God is actively manifest. Thus, we will be continue
nurtured and empowered to the core of our existence and a life in its fullness
will manifest in us and through us. In
the imposition of ashes on our forehead the pastor will also say “Turn away from sin”. The sin in the
context of Jesus signifies the oppressive system perpetuated by the Greco-Roman
Empire who collaborated with the temple authority. Moral deterioration and widespread
slavery was one of the cruel features of the Greco-Roman world, aside from the violent
and brutal means in dealing with various forms of misconduct and rebellions.
Turn
away from sins
is turning away also from the corrupt teachings that made us numbed and passive
of what is happening in our society and made us selfish that destroy our
identity as created in the image of God. Turning away from sin is a challenge
for a radical transformation of thought, attitude, outlook and way of life. Turning
away from sins is an invitation to manifest our womblike spirituality that takes
care for others, give comfort and sanctuary for our neighbors that leads them
to be nurtured and become productive. Amen.
[1] Rev. Jeric C. Cortado, Ash Wednesday Service, March 1, 2017.
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