by tashmcgill | Feb 22, 2012 | Spirituality
Ash Wednesday is a strange day, especially in New Zealand today as we remember the anniversary of the Feb 22. quake in Christchurch. I’ve been writing about the Phoenix mythology lately, as well as fire and it’s all imagery that suits the beginning of a Lenten season. Burn something to ashes, taking it away, seeing what arrives in it’s place. It’s important to remember the role ashes play in cleansing of any sort – fire to sterilize, soap made from ashes since soap was first made. So Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent and time to give something up.
I caught up with a good friend this week and we were talking about all manner of things, including the Lent season and what I was thinking about giving up. At one point he called me an epicurean. It’s not really an insult, to my way of thinking – although I couldn’t tell if it was mockery or envy in his voice. In colloquial terms, to be an epicurean is really to be known as a bit of a foodie, which is me to a T. But dig a little deeper and the word really originally meant someone who was passionate about the sensuality of life, all the senses – not just those to do with food and drink. (more…)
![The Art Of Moving Furniture.]()
by tashmcgill | Mar 10, 2011 | Culture & Ideas, Prose & Poetry, Spirituality
Whenever I begin to feel cluttered in my head, I can see the telltale signs in my environment. It starts in my car – a piece of paper left in one place for too long. A plastic water bottle that never gets put in the recycling bin. Then it travels to my office, where a pile of things I need to deal with accumulates in the corner, on the desk, on quickly jotted Post-Its stuck to the iMac and files on my desktop unsorted. Sometimes figuring out the rabbit warren and getting back to calm is like unraveling a piece of thread.. long, laborious and seemingly unending.. until you undo the one little knot that was holding you up and away you fly.
But when I find myself stuck on a knot that I just can’t figure out.. I have one solution, with three simple steps that always helps me to ‘unstick‘ it. (more…)
by tashmcgill | Feb 25, 2009 | god ideas, Uncategorized, worship
“When Mordecai learned all that had been done, Mordecai rent his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, wailing with a loud and bitter cry” (Esther 4:1 RSV)
Tungia te ururua, kia tupu whakaritorito te tupu o te harakeke.
Burn away the overgrowth & let the flax shoots grow through.
The Meaning Of The Ash
Historically ash has been a symbol of repentance, confession, of death – because we all are returned to dust in the end, and this is the penalty of sinfulness.
Ash Wednesday is the beginning of the Lent festival – 40 days leading to Easter (Sundays are not counted in the Lent calendar). Whilst there have been many orthodox traditions including fasting rules and reflection habits – the season is particular upheld within Christian streams as a method of reflection and focus. Historically a period of preparation leading up to baptism on Easter Sunday, the connection between this time of reflection, repentance, response, self-denial and the celebration of Easter cannot be over-emphasized.
For Lent this year, my choice of reflection is to study and reflect on psalms 1 – 40 for each of the 40 days. Any particular morsels.. I’ll share with you.
Closing Prayer
God of Tenderness and Mercy,
we are reminded today
that we are dust!
You are our Father,
full of mercy and love.
Forgive our sins.
Ko tou manawa, ko taku manawa.
Kia homai tou manawa mate moku.
Kia hoatu taku manawa ora mou.
Whiti ora! Maranga mai ki runga!
( Your heart, my heart.
You give me your dying heart.
Let me give you my living heart.
Cross over to life! Rise up above!)
Create in us a new heart
put a new spirit into our lives.
We ask this in the name,
of Your Servant and our brother,
now and always.
