Ashes to ashes

It is funny to read the texts that we have in the lectionary for today. Well, just one of them: go to your room, close the door, shut the windows, draw the blinds, and worship the lord in secret. But, today in the grocery store I saw the sign of the cross, the mark of Christ, on the forehead of my brothers and sisters. I saw and knew the repentance on their hearts and minds. I felt comfort and a drive to worship. There are humble and authentic ways to worship, and Ash Wednesday is one of them. Unlike those hypocrites we read of, it is not a sign of spiritual advancement or really really really excellent repenting. It is a comfort and a reminder of who we are, what we have been given, and what we are called to be: children of God who have been forgiven and justified to love our neighbor. That's a secret that demands humble proclaiming both in secret and in the frozen food section.