Liturgy 068: Ash Wednesday 2025

A Prayer and a Blessing to Love What is Brief and Cherish What Endures

Lectio Divina

That we may gain a heart of wisdom,
Teach us to number our days
— Moses (Psalm 90)

So we fix our eyes on what is unseen…
— Paul the Apostle

Prayer

The calendar is full, the inbox hums,
a rhythm of deadlines and calls.

In the glass-walled office, I check my reflection—
a smudge of ash just above my brow,
a whisper of something older than this day.

The drive-thru line snakes around the corner,
kids pile into SUVs, backpacks slung low.
Someone honks, someone scrolls,
someone wonders what to make for dinner.

At a red light, I touch the fading mark,
gray dust against my fingertips.

The world spins forward, always forward—
but for a moment, I remember
what is fleeting,
what remains.

Lord of dust and breath,
teach me to number my days,
to love what is brief,
to cherish what endures.

Blessing

Dear Friend

May finitude be your Teacher
in the school of Giving Thanks
in the school of Presence

These days are all a gift
the LORD has made

In the Name of the One
Who Invites Us to Rejoice

Amen