Ash Wednesday

February 17, 2021

Scripture Reading:
Psalm 25:1-10

To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
O my God, in you I trust;
   do not let me be put to shame;
   do not let my enemies exult over me.
Do not let those who wait for you be put to shame;
   let them be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.

Make me to know your ways, O Lord;
   teach me your paths.
Lead me in your truth, and teach me,
   for you are the God of my salvation;
   for you I wait all day long. –Psalm 25:1-5

If—by Rudyard Kipling is good advice for all people. It certainly is appropriate for times such as these.  It is posted below if you want to read it. I memorized it in grade school, and it floats through my mind occasionally now. The first phrase, If you can keep your head when all about you Are losing theirs and blaming it on you, crossed my mind when I read the scripture for today.

I must confess some of the Psalms of retribution make me uncomfortable. I would like to think I am above such resentments. Wanton treacherousness does exist in our world. Truth has become what can be repeated the most by many sources, dubious though they may be. Yet, freedom of speech is a bedrock of the USA democracy.

So, I thank God for being there for me when I need to rant and rave about some injustice I have observed or mistreatment I have perceived. I probably would never publish those words. Yet, I think the Psalms of vengeance and retribution permit us to take our frustrations and fears directly to God. When we turn them over to God and God cleanses us of their uselessness, God transfers that energy into resilience for doing justice and seeking God’s righteousness, enabling us to keep our heads when others are not.

Prayer: God of Mercy and Justice, thank you for hearing us out when we are frustrated and do not know how to deal with wanton treachery. Channel our emotions into positive work toward justice and righteousness throughout our world. Amen.

If you can keep your head when all about you
    Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
    But make allowance for their doubting too;  
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
    Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,
    And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream—and not make dreams your master;  
    If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim;  
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
    And treat those two impostors just the same;  
If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
    Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
    And stoop and build ’em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
    And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
    And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
    To serve your turn long after they are gone,  
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
    Except the Will which says to them: ‘Hold on!’

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,  
    Or walk with Kings—nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
    If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
    With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,  
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it, 
    And—which is more—you’ll be a Man, my son!

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.