So we’ve just recently begun Lent, kicked off by Ash Wednesday. The ashes of course remind us that from dust we came and from dust we shall return. I read someone making the point the ashes being so fine and easily dispersed are like our lives. First, whoever wrote the article had obviously never met some of my former pastors who seemed to take great delight in large, dark crosses across the forehead of their spiritual children. All that to say, on Ash Wednesday, I started thinking about the dirt here around the farm which led to thinking about removing soul dust.
Removing Soul Dust
It’s interesting each year we live here on this old dairy farm. There’s always work to be done and what may seem like a simple, straight forward job, almost always reveals that there is more work to be done–much like the spiritual life. It’s also interesting the things we find buried–much like the spiritual life.
Each season reveals a new layer of dirt on the farm. You know, like after a heavy rain the top layer gets washed away or at least re-situated. Digging up a new place to add raised garden beds
As my thoughts turned toward my soul as I considered dust, dirt and the snow and rains that wash a layer of seemingly intact dust away to reveal…well who knows what. I began to think that’s how it is when I delve deeper into the spiritual life.
As layers of soul dust are dispersed with cleansing tears, a rearranging of my spiritual priorities, a cleaning house through confession or wear from everyday life, a little more of my soul is revealed to me. Sometimes these revelations are a pleasant surprise, like when I learned I could start accepting or rejecting random thoughts that would pop into my mind. Or that I could actually choose what I wanted to think about verses whatever popped into my mind. Those revelations by the way came only through some heavy downpours of tears.
Spending time with my Father in His Word has recently revealed I need to work on gentleness. This revelation came as a part of day and day reading of my Bible
Just as there have been times when something unseen and yet dangerous, like a rusty nail, has been found just under the surface, so too with these soul dustings. Unearthing the threats of sin and vice, hopefully before too deep a would has been inflicted, can be a startling discovery.
“How long has that been there?”
“How much damage has it caused?”
“Did it hurt anyone else?”
“Is there more where that came from?”
These are always good questions to ask ourselves once sin and vice have been revealed. The questions and answers will make it easier to diagnose the problem, hopefully find the root and then find the healing solution.
This Lent, let’s pay attention to what God is allowing to be unearthed, the buried treasures of grace and peace and/or the hidden threats of sin and vice.
*There a number of excellent Examination of Conscious out there. We’ve made of our own that we recite a couple of times a week after our family prayer, Nightly Examen with Children.
Here are some others:
Fr. John Hardon Examination of Conscience
Catholic Culture Examination of Conscience
Sacrament of Penance with Examination of Conscience
Beautiful images of springtime’s hope and powerful questions to consider, Jenny. I leave here refreshed. Thank you!
Thank you Linda for such kind words. Have a great weekend.
The title, “Removing Soul Dust” drew me into this post. The content, shared in your gentle, down-to-earth way, kept me reading and really got me thinking. Thank you Jenny!
Such kind words to start my day, thank you Leane. God is so good to be bring us together to consider His ways.