Today millions of our siblings in Christ join together in an 1,100+ year-old tradition of commonly referred to as ‘Ash Wednesday’. The ashes – which are from the burned palm branches from the previous year’s Palm Sunday service – are placed on the forehead in the shape of a cross marking the beginning of the season of Lent. “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”
Below are one and one-half stanzas of by T. S. Eliot’s poem: “Ash Wednesday“, and below that you can hear the entire piece.
Ash Wednesday (a glimpse)
by T. S. Eliot
As I am forgotten And would be forgotten, so I would forget Thus devoted, concentrated in purpose. And God said Prophesy to the wind, to the wind only for only The wind will listen. And the bones sang chirping With the burden of the grasshopper, saying Lady of silences Calm and distressed Torn and most whole Rose of memory Rose of forgetfulness Exhausted and life-giving Worried reposeful The single Rose Is now the Garden Where all loves end Terminate torment Of love unsatisfied The greater torment Of love satisfied End of the endless Journey to no end Conclusion of all that Is inconclusible Speech without word and Word of no speech Grace to the Mother For the Garden Where all love ends.
Peace, dwight
the day of ashes
