Ash Wednesday 2020 Homily

Ash Wednesday

February 26, 2020

Matthew 6:1-6

Busy: Reconnecting with an Unhurried God

(Based on worship series from worshipdesignstudio.com)

21^st century society is one that is busy and on-the-go. If you ask someone how they are, the answer is often busy.  Being “busy” has become a measure of worth in our society. We get big points for productivity, collecting accomplishments, having and being “more.” Maryland especially is extra-busy, go-go-go! Because if you go slow, you get run over, or honked at, or you don’t get everything done because there’s too much to do and not enough hours in the day to do it. We subconsciously believe that being busy is what’s required of us and how we prove our worth, to God, to others, and to ourselves. But we are paying a high price in self-esteem, in physical health, in the enjoyment of life, and in connecting to one another. We are losing out on depth in our lives the more we spread ourselves thin.

Here’s the good news: God isn’t looking for us to perform as if we must prove how good we are or how worthy of love we are or how productive we can be. You can’t buy the Beatles’ love and you can’t earn God’s love. God offers it freely to everyone. In fact, God already loves you, regardless of whether you finish your to-do list or not, regardless of how long your to-do list is, regardless of how full your calendar is, regardless of good you look to others. God doesn’t care about your posturing so quit doing it. God loves you. Full stop.  

So this Lent, let’s practice simply being in God’s presence. Let’s clear out the lists and the things we think we have to do to look good to others. Let’s repent from unrealistic expectations and false beliefs. Let’s make room for what we want more of – more love, more peace, more joy, more generosity. Let’s stop striving after those things that won’t fulfill us, that aren’t what God requires of us. Instead, let’s make space and simplify – at home, at work, in church, in school, in worship, and in life. Let’s focus on what’s truly important and rather than giving something up for Lent, let’s make space this Lent so that we can live the life that truly is life.

Come to our Wednesday night Lenten services. Each week we’ll have a lay speaker and communion. The speakers will also be reflecting on this theme of busy-ness and what they want more of in their lives and how they’re going to make room for it. There’s a bible study, that I haven’t read, but the title is “Made to Crave: Satisfying Your Deepest Desire with God Not Food.” We were made to crave God. St. Augustine said “our hearts are restless until they find rest in you.” The problem is we try to fill that spot with food or another addiction when we really need to make more room for God in our lives. Take time for God.

This series is meant to focus us for a time on these things in order to offer a spiritual antidote to that which is stressing us out. We will find that there are very physical and tangible things we must attend to in order to address this spiritual issue. Tonight’s tangible thing is to receive the ashes of last year’s palms. I saved the palms from last Palm Sunday, when we had a big procession and parade and celebration, and last weekend my husband had some fun and burned them down to these ashes you’ll receive tonight. The ashes remind us that all of us will one day die, and in the process of life, we make mistakes, we sin, and the good news is God loves us, anyway.