Ash Wednesday

I found this wonderful list of literary readings for Lent. The first, perhaps predictably, was T.S. Eliot's "Ash Wednesday." As a big-time Eliot fan, I had read it before, but it had been a while. And boy, what a poem. I would like to read that thing every day, and maybe I will.


Part of my job is putting together the liturgy for a contemporary-type worship service. It's awesome. Few tasks would better combine an M.Div. and an MFA in Creative Writing. Sometimes I take the text from a book of liturgies or prayers and change very little, but sometimes I get cray with it. And this week, I decided I would like to use Eliot's words. It's a bit clunky at times, and I changed some wording, and at least one part doesn't line up theologically with what I would normally include. It will be a stretch for the worshippers. But I'm gonna do an explanation at the beginning so they know it's different. I'm pretty happy about it, so here it is in case you are also an Eliot-loving Lent-observer. The benediction is actually from Prufrock, but the rest is from Ash Wednesday. I may include some snippets in the long prayers, but I haven't worked on those yet. Enjoy!

Call to Worship

            Spirit of the fountain, spirit of the garden,          

Teach us to care and not to care.

            Spirit of the river, spirit of the sea,

Teach us to sit still, our peace in your will.

            Let us not be separated,

And let our cry come unto thee.

Prayer of Confession

Lord, we are not worthy. We mock ourselves with falsehood. We struggle with the devil of the stairs who wears the deceitful face of hope and despair. We pray to forget these matters that we discuss with ourselves and explain too much. We do not wish to wish these things. We cannot hope to turn again toward you without your grace. God, have mercy, and may your judgment not be too heavy upon us. In the name of the Word unspoken and unheard, amen.

Assurance of Pardon
God restores the years. God restores with a new verse the ancient rhyme. God redeems the time, redeems the dream, redeems the unread vision. God makes strong the fountains and makes fresh the springs.  
God’s nature is to renew, redeem, and restore. 

            Friends, believe the Good News!

In Jesus Christ, we are forgiven.

Benediction

            Let us go, then, you and I.

May God lead us to overwhelming questions.

            May we dare to disturb the universe.

Let us never cease from exploration, and let us return to this place renewed.