Wednesday 6 February 2008

L4/4 Piece of (burnt) cake

4. Say Sorry to Someone
Sir Elton John says it’s a sad, sad situation, but sorry seems to be the hardest word. Don’t know what the gentleman means. I’ve said sorry 11 times today, and it tripped off the tongue like I meant it — Sorry I was ten minutes late to a meeting. Sorry I didn't check you needed the milk at Breakfast first. Sorry I forgot last time’s minutes. Sorry I didn’t quite catch your drift. Sorry I was too snowed under to make that call. You get the idea. “Sorry” is easy to say, all right. It’s an English habit, which greases the wheels but doesn’t quite clear the decks.

At lunchtime we had a staff meeting with breaking of bread and ashes. Silence to call to mind our sins. Two minutes, and it seemed like two weeks. Then a smudge of ash — ashes from last year’s palm crosses — last year’s hopes, last year’s dreams. “Remember you are dust and to dust you shall return. repent and believe the Gospel.” Grace makes it possible. Grace even makes it seem easy. Praise God.

(Cartoon from Dave Walker — Cartoonist to the Stars)

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I had a knackering day at work and forgot about Ash Wednesday. Not even the trigger of pancakes on Tuesday because no family around. I can catch up with the pancakes but what about the ashes?

What is this life if full of care

We have no time to stand and stare?

No time to stand beneath the boughs

And stare as long as sheep, or cows.

No time to see, when woods we pass,

Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass.

No time to see, in broad daylight,

Streams full of stars, like skies at night.

No time to turn at Beauty's glance,

And watch her feet, how they can dance.

No time to wait till her mouth can

Enrich that smile her eyes began.

A poor life this, if full of care,

We have no time to stand and stare.



William Henry Davies 1871 - 1940

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