"What is that black smudge on your forehead?"

Last Wednesday was Ash Wednesday. Over the past two years this has become one of my favorite days on our liturgical calendar. Both last year and this year I have gotten to serve as a chalice bearer (which means I dole out the wine), so I get to see everyone come up and kneel to get their ashes imposed. Psalm 51 is chanted...it's a bit eerie. Last week when I saw my wife kneel down and heard the words "remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return" I thought I was about to loose it. My wife is now four months pregnant, and to be reminded of our mortality while we are excited about bringing new life into the world brought an unexpected wave of emotion. All of these people whom I have come to love, being reminded that sooner or later, we'll all die and return to dust! Sounds a bit morbid. But the most powerful part comes soon after the imposition of ashes, "By the cross and passion of your Son our Lord, Bring us with all your saints to the joy of his resurrection." After receiving this black mark of the cross on our foreheads, for all the world to see, we are also reminded that God's love extends beyond our blood and breath.