Lamentations 3:22-26,31-33
Psalm 121
2 Corinthians 4:16--5:9
Psalm 27:1-6
Matthew 6:1-6,16-21

"Remember that you are dust.
And to dust you will return."

Those are Ash Wednesday words. Those are burial service words. Reminders of our mortality. Ash Wednesday this year we had an unexpected and undesirable reminder that we are dust. When someone we love dies, we remember that we are dust, that our bodies return to the earth.

But did you hear what the Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians? "Even though our bodies are wasting away every day. Inside we are being renewed day by day. When our earthly body is destroyed, God has prepared for us a house not made with hands an eternal home of joy and light . . . and skiing and dancing and laughter."

Well, those aren't Paul's exact words, but the Minnesota version is close enough. "All things bright and beautiful. All things wise and wonderful.... The joyful fun things, the Good Lord made them all." And that's what God has prepared for us. So instead of practicing our piety here in church we might better celebrate Tom's life with the joyful, bright and beautiful things.

Our gospel reading today is the one for Ash Wednesday. "Beware of practicing your piety before others to be seen by them." Well, I don't think many of us would claim to have seen Tom doing that one. No prayers on the street corners -- dancing or skiing or might be more like it. There doesn't seem to be much pretending. Tom celebrated life. And celebrating life is not something to be hidden.

Dismal fasting with a holier-than-thou attitude or a hypocritical show before others just wasn't Tom's style. Instead there was a genuine interest in others, a curiosity about life. Just the opposite of that self-centered hypocrisy that is it's own reward.

What then does the Father, who sees in secret, discover about those who celebrate life? In Tom's case, perhaps a generous spirit, who gave of himself to others "in secret" with no blowing of trumpets; a true "one of a kind" -- eccentric but wonderful; the kind of person that even the dogs reserve a special greeting for. Because he didn't pretend to be someone else.

In our Gospel reading Jesus is asking us to color outside the lines, to be true to who we are, to celebrate life instead of worrying about what others think. I think Tom would have understood that.

The secret that the Father sees is that people who celebrate life, give life to others. Tom gave the gift of life: Not only to his family, but to many. He helped some here to give birth or to be born. For some his healing gift was literally a life saver. To others the gift was just plain fun stuff. In his memory perhaps we should have a dance rather than a church service. If that sounds scandalous coming from the pulpit, consider our gospel reading about hypocrisy. If dancing gives more life and love than a worship service, we might wonder if our hearts have really found God's treasure.

Our gospel reading tells us that "where your treasure is, there will you heart be also." Did you wonder, when it was read, about Tom's treasure? Maybe that one made you smile ... or perhaps cringe a bit. Where is Tom's treasure? No, it's not all that earthly stuff that his family now must deal with. Where is Tom's real treasure? Right here. You -- Tom's friends, Tom's patients, Tom's family -- are the treasures of heaven that he spent his life storing up. There is where his heart is. That is what the Father sees in secret -- the gift of life and love.

God has seen it all. In Tom's life and in ours. The mess we make of our lives, the mistakes and the hurts. God sees the dust and ashes that we all are. But God also sees the treasure that we are -- all those things ‘bright and beautiful' and ‘wise and wonderful.' Those who celebrate life and give life to others proclaim the love of Christ.

The Bible tells us that the body that has died is swallowed up by life in its fullest celebration. It is true, what the Apostle Paul writes: "We are being prepared for an eternal weight of glory beyond all measure." Dust to dust, ashes to ashes, glory to glory.

Even in the tears it's time to celebrate life. Shall we dance?

Allah does not deduct from the alloted time of man those hours spent hunting and fishing