Embracing Finitude
But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. ~2 Corinthians 4:7 In the liturgical year, there is no more striking reminder of our mortality than on Ash Wednesday. Our foreheads are marked with the cross and we hear “it is from dust you came, and to dust you shall return”. It never fails to be a strange experience, standing as you would for a blessing, and receiving such sobering words; yet it is also surprisingly comforting. It is a moment of release, a restoration of place. It is the first step in the long Lenten journey, and it starts with a word of truth; a reminder of our finitude. I recently listened to a beautiful talk on “The Spirituality of Time” by Professor Sarah Williams from Regent College. In it, she explores the nature of time and our post-modern society’s view contrasted with the perspective of the church. She makes many profound observations, but the most striking among them was an emphasis on …