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ASH WEDNESDAY February 17, 2010 The Rev. Peter Keese Joel 2:1-2, 12-17; Psalm 103:8-14; 2 Cor. 5:20b-6:10; Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21

“Create and make in us new and contrite hearts,” so we ask in our Ash Wednesday collect. I want to tell you a brief story about a contrite heart and how it obtained “perfect remission and forgiveness”.

This is a true story; a good friend of mine told it to me about his friend, Brad.

Anna is three years old; she is the daughter of Brad, a Baptist preacher and his wife. They were in Church one Sunday; Anna’s mother retrieved her from the child-care room and Anna immediately took off, headed toward the door leading outside – and, of course, ignoring her mother’s calls to her to stop (she is three, after all).

And, of course, Anna, being three years old is willful but short-legged, so mother – she of the longer legs – caught up to Anna. She picked her up, popped her bottom, and said, “If you’re going to act like a baby, I’ll treat you like a baby – I’ll carry you.” And she proceeded to carry Anna to the car where she strapped her in her car seat.

As they are driving home, Anna is contrite; she apologizes. “I know I was bad; I’m sorry.” [pause] “Can I say grace at lunch?”

Well, of course, she was given permission to say grace.

So, they got home, lunch was prepared, and they sat down to eat.

Anna: “Dear God, thank you for the food; please forgive me for being bad.” Silence.

Brad and his wife waited for the expected and usual “Amen.”

Then, in a voice an octave lower, Anna said, “I forgive you.”

Anna’s theology needs no further perfecting; she gets it; she understands contrition and the immediate availability of forgiveness.

So during this Lent maybe we can keep Anna (“I forgive you”) in mind - since we are both in need of forgiveness and dispensers of it, as well.

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