Faith to Go in Lent: Ash Wednesday with Bishop Susan

Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21

“Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.

“So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return. It’s an odd thing to say in a Christian church, where we proclaim that Jesus has defeated death and brought us to eternal life. Why do we remind each other today of our dustiness, our grittiness, the impermanence of our bodies and our very lives?

The key to what we celebrate today is the word “remember.” When we say you are dust, and to dust you shall return – that is simple fact. Every molecule of our bodies came from the dust of the universe that blew outward from the Big Bang, the dust that formed stars and planets, the dust that formed this earth. Out of that dust our bodies were made, and when we die, those molecules of US will be recycled for other uses. We are dust, and to dust we shall return.

But the key to Ash Wednesday is not the fact of our dustiness. The key is the word “remember.” When we remember that we are dust, we remember not just our death, but the other part of our faith, that God willed every molecule of our selves into being. We remember that God looked at the dusty, beautiful world, and called it “very good.” We remember how God reached into the dust and lovingly handled it, rolled it, breathed into it, to create human beings. We remember that we are holy and beloved. We remember that our own God took on the dust of human existence with his own life in Jesus. We remember that God welcomed our holy human dustiness as he welcomed Jesus back into God’s presence.

“Remember that you are dust, to dust you shall return” means, remember that the very dust of your body is forever linked with the creator of the universe. Remember that your dusty humanity has been washed in the water of baptism and made a part of Christ’s own Body. Remember that the ashy cross marked on your forehead is drawn over the same place where you were marked with the sign of the cross at your baptism, when someone said, You are sealed with the Holy Spirit in baptism and marked as Christ’s own forever.

This day, this Ash Wednesday, this day of dust, is a day not of death but of resurrection. We remember that we are dust, and to dust we shall return, but that’s not the end of the story. The last chapter of Good Friday was followed by the new story of Easter. The end of our dusty human lives will be followed by the new creation of resurrection. You are dust, and to dust you shall return. Thanks be to God.

Throughout Lent, take a few moments each day to deepen your faith with Faith to Go in Lent, a daily podcast featuring reflections from individuals across the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego. Each episode offers a fresh perspective on the daily Gospel reading, inviting you into a journey of prayer, contemplation, and spiritual growth.

Whether you listen during your morning coffee, on a walk, or as part of your daily devotion, these reflections provide a meaningful way to connect with God and our diocesan community. As we walk this Lenten path together, let these voices inspire you, challenge you, and draw you closer to Christ.

Join us every day throughout Lent at edsd.org/faithtogo and discover the power of shared faith and reflection. May this season of renewal bring you insight, peace, and a deeper relationship with God.