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Ash Wednesday


Gather Us In

Here in this place new light is streaming,
now is the darkness vanished away;
see in this space our fears and our dreamings
brought here to you in the light of the day.
Gather us in, the lost and forsaken
gather us in, the blind and the lame;
call to us now, and we shall awaken,
we shall arise at the sound of our name.

We are the young, our lives are a mystery,
we are the old who yearn for your face;
we have been sung throughout all of history,
called to be light to the whole human race.
Gather us in, the rich and the haughty,
gather us in, the proud and the strong;
give us a heart, so meek and so lowly,
give us the courage to enter the song.

Her we will take the wine and the water,
here we will take the bread of new birth,
here you shall call your sons and your daughters,
call us anew to be salt for the earth.
Give us to drink the wine of compassion,
give us to eat the bread that is you;
nourish us well, and teach us to fashion
lives that are holy and hearts that are true.

Not in the dark of buildings confining,
not in some heaven, light years away--
here in this place the new light is shining,
now is the kingdom, and now is the day.
Gather us in and hold us forever,
gather us in and make us your own;
gather us in, all peoples together;
fire of love in our flesh and our bone.

by Marty Haugen

Once again I am participating in RethinkChurch's Lenten Photo a Day Practice.  Today's word is gather.  Tonight I will gather with others as a cross made of ashes (presumably from last year's palm branches) will be placed on my forehead.  It seems that gathering is a theme this week.  Each night this week brings a different gathering.  Two of these gatherings are with past colleagues from different work spaces, and I'm blessed to stay in touch with all.  Which brings me to my other Lenten practice.  My goal is to post a picture a day and a list of gratitudes each day of Lent.  


I am thankful for...
1.  A colleague who told me my meeting her on the stairs yesterday was a gift.
2.  Practices for Lent that make me slow down and reflect.
3.  Ash Wednesday service

Comments

LH said…
I love seeing the ashes on people's heads.
4:59 PM
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