Remember, O man, that dust thou art

Remember, O man, that dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. The formula for the imposition of ashes recalls what was said to Adam. The consequence of sin is expulsion from Paradise, and all the evils of a fallen world, including, ultimately, mortality. But God in his mercy also promised a Redeemer, and clothed Adam and Eve, in token of a greater Paradise to come. Easter itself, to which Lent points, is a token. The resurrection of our Lord is our confidence as we enter the depths; the Sacrament is our help in this fallen world. The paradise promised will be greater than the paradise lost. Sermon for Ash Wednesday.