Ash Wednesday

ben & soo tian
Originally uploaded by mincaye.

This was taken by Chin Hor after the Ash Wednesday service at Bangsar Lutheran Church. Notice the ash on our foreheads...

Not a very traditional Christian (nor, for that matter, a very modern one), I've never actually celebrated Lent.

But this year, I find the meditation booklet co-written by Sivin, too good to be left unread. So I'll be following the daily meditations right up until Easter.

At any rate, one can never pray too much or too often. As Yoshua once told me, "Prayer is our lifeblood. The moment we stop praying, we die."

In all likelihood, I'll be away from blogging for a little while, as I have a week of exams just around the corner.

And since yesterday was Ash Wednesday, I shall leave with an excerpt from T.S. Eliot's poem of the same name;

Because I do not hope to turn again
Because I do not hope
Because I do not hope to turn
Desiring this man's gift and that man's scope
I no longer strive to strive towards such things
(Why should the aged eagle stretch its wings?)...

Blessed sister, holy mother, spirit of the fountain, spirit of the garden,
Suffer us not to mock ourselves with falsehood
Teach us to care and not to care
Teach us to sit still
Even among these rocks,
Our peace in His will
And even among these rocks
Sister, mother
And spirit of the river, spirit of the sea,
Suffer me not to be separated

And let my cry come unto Thee.