I couldn't leave that last snarkathon as my only 10th blogiversary post. I need something more positive. This sleep apnea thing is really kicking my butt, so many days I end up grumpy because it feels like a part of my body is broken for good. I always thought I'd react better to the slow entropism of age, but so far it looks like I've got some room for improvement.
On to something positive.
Last night I went to Ash Wednesday services. As a Eucharistic minister, I was one of the folks doling out the ashes. When you make the cross on the recipient's head, you're supposed to say, "Repent and believe in the Gospel." That in itself was a bit surreal as I'm always fighting plenty of my regular sins and losing one or more of the battles at any given time. Me suggesting that someone else needed to repent felt out of place.
In any case, a mom with a little baby girl, probably no more than 2 years old, came up to get ashes. I put hers on her forehead with a dutiful, "Repent and believe in the Gospel." She then turned her little girl so I could put ashes on her forehead. She was the picture of lovely innocence. I smiled and as I put the ashes on her I said, "You don't need to repent. You're beautiful just the way you are." The mom had a big smile on her face as she walked away.
There. Now that's a 10th blogiversary post.
6 comments:
YOU don't need to repent either, from my perspective out here. :)
"You don't need to repent. You're beautiful just the way you are."
Except, of course, that's directly contrary to the Gospel assertion that "All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God" ... and if you really meant it, then you'd be advocating Pelagianism.
Ilion, you're perfectly correct. On the other hand, I made her mom happy, so there's that.
^ And this is why Western Civilization is doomed.
Just doing my part, amigo. Just doing my part. :-)
Aren't we all?
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