Reflection on Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21

Ash Wednesday

Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus commends almsgiving, prayer, and fasting, but emphasizes that spiritual devotion must not be done for show.

[Jesus said to the disciples:] ¹“Beware of practicing your piety before others in order to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven.
 ²“So whenever you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be praised by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. ³But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, ⁴so that your alms may be done in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
 ⁵“And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. ⁶But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
 ¹⁶“And whenever you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces so as to show others that they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. ¹⁷But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, ¹⁸so that your fasting may be seen not by others but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
 ¹⁹“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; ²⁰but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. ²¹For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

 

Reflection

You are dust.  From dust you were shaped and molded into being, and back to dust you shall return.  You are dust.

But, you are God’s dust.  God formed you from the dust of the land, mixed with some holy water; the same way a potter forms a pot or a bowl out of the clay.  You are a wonderful creation of God.  And, just as the pot and the bowl have a purpose, God formed and molded you with a purpose in mind.  After God took the clay and formed your every leg, finger, and eye, God looked at the creation that God held in hand, you, and God smiled and said that it was very good. 

God made you to look just like God, like an artist crafting a self-portrait.  And, then God took a deep breath, and filled you with the active wind of the Spirit.  Releasing you into the world, God set you free to walk, and talk, and be God’s dust…God’s living, breathing, loving dust.  You are the image of God.  You are the breath of God’s love walking in this world.  You are God’s dust.

But, sometimes we forget.

Like a bowl that has been turned up-side-down and is good to hold nothing, we get ourselves turned up-side-down and we forget our loving, holy purpose.  We forget that the purpose of giving to and supporting others is to breathe new life into cracked vessels who have lost their wind and need repair.  Sometimes we forget that we are holy bowls, intended to transport God’s love and healing.  Sometimes we forget and giving to others becomes all about ourselves, and whether or not we are seen to be giving rather than simply being giving. 

Sometimes, we need to be reminded that we are dust.  We are nothing more than dust.  We will return to the ground and be trampled underfoot.  But, we are God’s dust.  So, our giving is to be done in secret.  And, when done in secret, we have the reward of being God’s precious dust.

Sometimes we forget.

Like a flower pot that wants to outshine the flowers that it supports, sometimes we forget that the purpose of our prayers is to hold up beautiful, broken people.  Sometimes, our prayers become all about us, and whether or not we are seen to be praying people rather than being praying people.  Sometimes, we forget that our purpose is to hold up and nourish with water those beautiful, withered people.

Sometimes, we need to be reminded that we are dust.  We are nothing more than dust.  We will return to the ground and be trampled underfoot.  But, we are God’s dust.  So, our praying is to be done in secret.  And, when done in secret, we have the reward of being God’s precious dust.

Like a statue that has forgotten that it was created to look just like its creator, sometimes we forget our creator entirely.  Our attempts to return to the Lord, like fasting and dedicating time to be with God, end up being all about ourselves.  We forget that we were created, not to become whatever we desire, but to become the image that God desires.  Sometimes we forget that our purpose is to be God’s image.

So, God sends us an image, another clay vessel with powerful breathed Spirit, which not only looks like God, but is God; for us to see, and follow, and to help us remember who we are.  God sends us the Son, Jesus.  God chooses to come and be with us so that we can remember that not only are we dust, we are God’s dust. 

You are God’s dust.  You are God’s holy, Spirit breathed dust.  And your destination is heaven.  Your very existence is to be the love of heaven.  And, Jesus will use a cross to remind you what that love looks like, and how far that sort of love is willing to go in order to repair broken, clay vessels.  Jesus does that because he has never forgotten who you are.  You are God’s dust.  And to God you shall return.

“Return to the Lord your God, who is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love” (Joel 2:13).