These ashes, my friends – one day soon you are going to look like this. Without God, this is all we are. Even if we are famous, or rich or powerful – a star, a politician, a journalist, a judge, a priest, a billionaire. Without God, this is all these people are and will soon look like.
And everyone we love. The wife or husband you sleep with, the children you will have – they will soon look like this too. And all our stuff: our trophy, our money, our latest coolest stuff. Of course your stuff looks nicer than this – but this is all it is: arranged dust.
For us to be reminded of this my friends is good news. Why? Because Jesus is waking us up to see reality and to decide what we are going to love in this life. You only get one life: there are no second goes.
So this is the question for you today: in the face of this dusty pointlessness, God reaches out a hand and says: will you repent and believe in the Gospel? Believing in the Gospel transforms everything: I am saved by a personal relationship with my Creator which makes me alive, and all the works of love I have done – forever. With all those others who did so.
So what do you choose?
Blog of a City Priest 