The season of Lent begins

Today many Christians will have ourselves marked with ashes on our foreheads to remind us of what is written as God's words to humans in the biblical book of Genesis:

For you were made from dust, and to dust you will return.

In our scientific age when human understanding is inflected toward strictly material explanations for all things, this should not be hard to hear. But of course it most always feels hard.

I was delighted to read this morning a modern iteration of the thought, from Steve Jobs via Kara Swisher:

Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.

I appreciate the 40 days of Lent, a season to reflect on hard realities.

Many thanks to Dave Walker for the cartoon.