Monday, March 2

Genesis 9: 8-17

Singing an Easter Song
Sam Dove

A few years ago my family and I toured George Washington’s estate at Mount Vernon. We walked through the red roofed and white-washed main house and marveled at its history and beauty. We sat in rocking chairs on the back porch with sweeping views of the Potomac River. Then we walked around the grounds. We came upon Washington’s tomb, a large brick building in back with two white marble obelisks in front shooting skyward.

As we were standing looking at the site, I heard loud singing coming from behind us. “God Bless America, land that I love...” Wow I thought, someone has been deeply moved by the grandeur of this place. I turned to see a group of African- Americans walking single file up a path, singing.

They weren’t moved by the site of Washington’s tomb. They were coming from the slave’s cemetery, from unmarked graves in the woods of people mostly unknown and unnumbered. And they were rejoicing because they had seen where they had been and where they were now, “God Bless America, my home sweet home.”

To me this symbolizes the Lenten journey. It’s the time we go, with God’s help, not to the white washed house on the hill, but to the unmarked graves in the woods of our lives. We go to those places that we are not proud of and ask for God’s grace to transform them.

Perhaps Richard Rohr summarizes it best, “Sometimes we are able to believe that God loves us unconditionally, absolutely and forever. That’s grace! And sometimes we get down on ourselves, and carry guilt and fear and burdens, we are not able to believe that God loves us.”

So to me that is what Lent is about, taking a walk in the woods of our life so that in forty days, with God’s transforming grace, we will be singing an Easter song.

Sam Dove is mostly retired from his dental practice, but now also practices his dental work where he can do it for free. In years past, he has traveled with his wife and daughters to South America to offer dental clinics; now, he works closer to home. He is also passionate about peace and justice issues, and practices meditation.