Ash wednesday 2019

With Ash Wednesday, we begin our Lenten journey for 40 days and 40 nights.

As on every Wednesday, I went to the hospitals to visit the sick. I took with me a bit of ashes in a little container.

At the end of my visit to Charlie,  I offered him ashes. He said, "yes please". So I said:
"Charlie, from dust you come and to dust you shall return.  In the name of ther father, the son and the Holy Spirit" as I make a cross on his forehead with the ashes.
Then I prayed. As we said "Amen" we heard a big male voice joined us saying "Amen."
I opened my eyes and saw this tall young male nurse was standing by Charlie's bed.

Me                Oh, hi- would you like me to ash you?
Him              He very quickly said, "Yes" as though he was afraid I will change my mind.
Me                What's your name?
Him              Nathan.
Me                Nathan, from dust you come, to dust you shall return. In the name of the Father, the Son
                      and the Holy Spirit marking a cross on his forehead with the ashes.
Nathan          Thank  you so much pastor.  I will not get to go to my own Church tonight and I was
                      sad about it. Thank you for making my Ash Wednesday.

As Nathan started helping Charlie, I bid them both good night. What a gratitude I felt in my heart towards God for such a privilledge.

My Lenten journey has started right!

The Ash Wednesday evening service at my own Church- Church of the Palms in the evening was a wonderl one and a life giving one for me as well.


Here is my Psalm for reflection:

Psalm 51

Prayer for Cleansing and Pardon

¹ Have mercy on me, O God,
   according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy
   blot out my transgressions.
² Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
   and cleanse me from my sin. 

³ For I know my transgressions,
   and my sin is ever before me.
⁴ Against you, you alone, have I sinned,
   and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you are justified in your sentence
   and blameless when you pass judgement.
⁵ Indeed, I was born guilty,
   a sinner when my mother conceived me. 

⁶ You desire truth in the inward being;
   therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart.
⁷ Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
   wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
⁸ Let me hear joy and gladness;
   let the bones that you have crushed rejoice.
⁹ Hide your face from my sins,
   and blot out all my iniquities. 

¹⁰ Create in me a clean heart, O God,
   and put a new and right spirit within me.
¹¹ Do not cast me away from your presence,
   and do not take your holy spirit from me.
¹² Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
   and sustain in me a willing spirit. 

¹³ Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
   and sinners will return to you.
¹⁴ Deliver me from bloodshed, O God,
   O God of my salvation,
   and my tongue will sing aloud of your deliverance. 

¹⁵ O Lord, open my lips,
   and my mouth will declare your praise.
¹⁶ For you have no delight in sacrifice;
   if I were to give a burnt-offering, you would not be pleased.
¹⁷ The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit;
   a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. 

¹⁸ Do good to Zion in your good pleasure;
   rebuild the walls of Jerusalem,
¹⁹ then you will delight in right sacrifices,
   in burnt-offerings and whole burnt-offerings;
   then bulls will be offered on your altar.