"That each step
may be a shedding.
That you will let yourself
become lost.
That when it looks
like you’re going backwards,
you may be making progress.
That progress is not the goal anyway,
but presence
to the feel of the path on your skin,
to the way it reshapes you
in each place it makes contact,
to the way you cannot see it
until the moment you have stepped out."
              Jan L. Richardson, In Wisdom’s Path

Today we begin the forty days of Lent. It is Ash Wednesday. Today we will be marked with ashes and reminded that we are people of the Earth, people who walk with our feet firmly planted on holy ground, arms reaching out and toward heaven.

I did not grow up being marked with ashes on this day. For good or ill, Lent was not as central to my formative years as I know it was to some. My small United Methodist church did what other churches did in our area and made a big deal out of Holy Week. But the observance of Lent only became something I acquired when I went to college and was around many more Roman Catholics. I remember the first time I witnessed this smudge of ‘dirt’ on forehead after forehead as they walked across campus. I was fascinated. It was such a visible religious symbol being worn by ‘regular’ people. I wanted it.

After moving to Minnesota I became more aware of the practices of Lent.The strong Lutheran and Catholic presence and, I believe,some changes in most main line churches, brought a more intentional observance of these days that lead up to Easter. Taking the journey of Lent seriously can be a wonderful spiritual practice, a wonderful way to deepen the experience of the Holy. Many people will ‘give up something’. Others will ‘take on something’. Both provide an opportunity to engage in being present to oneself and to the Spirit for a specific amount of time. All good.

This year’s gospel readings provide the images of journey as well, telling of Jesus’ own path from wilderness to Jerusalem and all the places in between. They are rich texts of his experiences with being planted firmly on the Earth….with all that means…..while reaching toward heaven. Each step filled with uncertainty, surprise,adventure, healing,hope. They provide much for us to mine for our own journeys.

How will you walk through this Lent? How will you be aware of the path that unfolds before you? How will you be present to the Spirit? As we are marked today with ashes, either literally or figuratively, may each of us remember that we are people of Earth, reaching toward Heaven.