22 Feb Beauty for Ashes

22 February 2023

Ash Wednesday

BEAUTY FOR ASHES

When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. (Matthew 9:35)

The world has been wounded for ages. However, the recent Covid-19 pandemic has exposed and exacerbated various forms of social injustice and violence, especially against women and children. The pandemic did not only threaten lives but also the livelihood of people. It spurred the pre-existing toxic and oppressive social norms, gender inequality, and violence against women. The measures put in to curb the virus, such as lockdowns and social distancing, led to an exponential increase in Gender Based Violence (GBV). These measures rendered many women helpless as they were locked at home with their abusive husbands, thereby limiting their chances of freeing themselves or getting socio-psycho-support. The impacts of the pandemic are felt to date. GBV is one of the vices that we are grappling with in the modern-day world. It inflates physical and psychological pain in women to the extent that some opt to take their lives away. Its impacts are also extended to children who witness their mothers being abused.

Amid all these forms of suffering that affect us either directly or indirectly, what lessons can we learn from the scripture? In Matthew 9:35-38, Jesus associated himself with the marginalised. He felt compassion for them (36). Before this scripture portion, Jesus had been busy healing the sick, casting out demons, raising the dead, and performing other miracles for the betterment of humanity. He came into contact with the dirty, the destitute, the prostitutes, the marginalised, and those who were considered unclean by His day's religious leaders. In this scripture, Jesus is going through all towns preaching the good news of the kingdom, healing the sick from all forms of diseases, accompanying the poor, and re-membering those at the periphery. The actions of Jesus gave beauty for the ashes of those that were suffering. God is ready to beautify the ashes (Isaiah 61:3) of people who are struggling, especially women who are suffering from GBV and are considered inferior in society. These ashes represent the physical, psychological, financial, and mental suffering and all your pains. For God to give you beauty for these ashes, an exchange must occur. Christ gave us that beauty by turning himself into ashes.

Therefore, we cannot hold unto our ashes. We need to let our ashes go to receive something good and beautiful. God wants us to be victors and not victims. Jesus is still calling for more workers in God’s harvest field who are ready to continue with His mission of being on the side of the oppressed and marginalised. God is calling for those who are willing to suffer with the oppressed to support them and stand for justice. Martin Luther King says, “doing right for it is right to do right.” Let us do what is right. May the Lord turn our ashes into beauty as we begin the journey of struggling for justice and righteousness in this season of lent.

prayer

Almighty God, may you heal and beautify the ashes of the people who are suffering in one way or the other. May you help us accompany those suffering by showing love and standing for justice. Amen.

for further thought

What can I do to turn the pain and sorrow of the GBV victims into joy?

Jackline Makena Mutuma

Methodist Church in Kenya