Here’s a thoughtful reflection written for Ash Wednesday by Jan
Richardson.
Rend Your Heart
A Blessing for Ash Wednesday
A Blessing for Ash Wednesday
Yet even now, says the Lord, return
to me with all your heart,
with fasting, with weeping, and with
mourning;
rend your hearts and not your
clothing. Joel
2.12-13a
To receive
this blessing,
all you have to do
is let your heart break.
Let it crack open.
Let it fall apart
so that you can see
its secret chambers,
the hidden spaces
where you have hesitated
to go.
all you have to do
is let your heart break.
Let it crack open.
Let it fall apart
so that you can see
its secret chambers,
the hidden spaces
where you have hesitated
to go.
Your entire
life
is here, inscribed whole
upon your heart’s walls:
every path taken
or left behind,
every face you turned toward
or turned away,
every word spoken in love
or in rage,
every line of your life
you would prefer to leave
in shadow,
every story that shimmers
with treasures known
and those you have yet
to find.
is here, inscribed whole
upon your heart’s walls:
every path taken
or left behind,
every face you turned toward
or turned away,
every word spoken in love
or in rage,
every line of your life
you would prefer to leave
in shadow,
every story that shimmers
with treasures known
and those you have yet
to find.
It could
take you days
to wander these rooms.
Forty, at least.
to wander these rooms.
Forty, at least.
And so let
this be
a season for wandering
for trusting the breaking
for tracing the tear
that will return you
a season for wandering
for trusting the breaking
for tracing the tear
that will return you
to the One
who waits
who watches
who works within
the rending
to make your heart
whole.
who watches
who works within
the rending
to make your heart
whole.
~ written
by Jan L. Richardson, and posted on The
Painted Prayerbook blog. http://paintedprayerbook.com/
