An offering to you

I went to church tonight for Ash Wednesday. I am not the best practicing Catholic and I sometimes feel that it is because I let things (crap, really) get in the way. Regardless, I try and keep Lent, because I think that it is the most important part of the Liturgical year. It is the time to refocus.

My friend and I went to services tonight. I was grateful that lightning didn't strike him down when we walked in to church. In all seriousness though, it was nice to have someone to sit next to during mass. And I liked being there. I liked the hour away from my petty problems. I liked the time to think about things.

The recessional was a song I remembered from my childhood. (20 years of Catholic School). The Ashes song. The church diva (a.k.a. song leader) read the number and page of the song and I chuckled a bit to myself, because I didn't need them. I knew the song by heart. And while singing it, I got the chills. All that I have been trying to do lately was outlined in the song. I can't explain it, but it moved me and brought me a bit of peace. And so, for no other reason than it is a good reminder, I am posting the lyrics to the song. Hopefully, by the end of Lent 2007, I will have found a way to turn the failed good and attempts and pain into an offering of something better.

1. We rise again from ashes, from the good we have failed to do. We rise again from ashes, to create ourselves anew. If all our world is ashes then must our lives be true, An offering of ashes, an offering to You.

2. We offer you our failures, we offer you attempts, The gifts not fully given, the dreams not fully dreamt. Give our stumblings direction, give our visions wider view, An offering of ashes, an offering to You.

3. Then rise again from ashes, let healing come to pain, Though spring has turned to winter, and sunshine turned to rain. The rain we'll use for growing, and create the world anew. From an offering of ashes, an offering to You.