Ash Wednesday has always been a very important observance for me. Since I was working yesterday, I went for a quick smudging at the chapel in the hospital. I then went on to have the very best imaginable Ash Wednesday ever.
Whenever I get to be in attendance with someone as they give birth, I get to be a part of something much larger than myself. I am humbled by the work and effort of a mother. I am entranced with the hands of a gifted midwife as she holds them in a loving way to catch a baby as he makes his way into this world. I fall in love with a new creature as he opens his eyes, realizing that things are a little bit different now. Birth is hard, it is messy. Sometimes, it even smells bad. Although surrounded by love and support, the mother is the only one who can do the work of birthing a baby.
So, yesterday, I remained busy holding things, handing things and fetching things. Yet, my main purpose was simply to hold sacred space, giving the mother and baby room to do whatever they needed to do.
It was a perfect way of remembering who I really am in this world.
Almighty God, you have created us out of the dust of the
earth: Grant that these ashes may be to us a sign of our
mortality and penitence, that we may remember that it is
only by your gracious gift that we are given everlasting life;
through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen. Book of Common Prayer
So, were you walking around the hospital with dirty smudges on your face? Scrubs and smudges?
ReplyDeleteYep. People kept asking me, "what is on your forehead?" Mine was barely a smudge, so no one knew what it was. When I went to the grocery story later, a large church had apparently just let out. People had very dark and big crosses on thier foreheads shopping for milk. Strange sort of day....another post perhaps.
ReplyDeleteI like the story of the drive-thru blessings for Ash Wednesday ( http://articles.boston.com/2012-02-23/news/31091866_1_ashes-lenten-ohio-church )
ReplyDelete