{"id":68206,"date":"2018-02-14T16:08:54","date_gmt":"2018-02-14T21:08:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/kendallharmon.net\/?p=68206"},"modified":"2018-02-14T06:41:02","modified_gmt":"2018-02-14T11:41:02","slug":"eleanor-parker-thu-eart-dust-and-to-duste-gewendst-aelfric-ash-wednesday-and-the-seafarer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kendallharmon.net\/?p=68206","title":{"rendered":"(Eleanor Parker) ‘\u00feu eart dust and to duste gewendst’: \u00c6lfric, Ash Wednesday and ‘The Seafarer’"},"content":{"rendered":"

On that Wednesday, throughout the world,
\nas it is appointed, priests bless
\nclean ashes in church, and then lay them
\non people’s heads, so that they may remember
\nthat they came from earth and will return again to dust,
\njust as Almighty God said to Adam,
\nafter he had sinned against God’s command:
\n‘In labour you shall live and in sweat you shall eat
\nyour bread upon the earth, until you return again
\nto the same earth from which you came,
\nfor you are dust, and to dust you shall return.’
\nThis is not said about the souls of mankind,
\nbut about their bodies, which moulder to dust,
\nand shall again on Judgement Day, through the power of our Lord,
\nrise from the earth, all who ever lived,
\njust as all trees quicken again in the season of spring
\nwhich were deadened by the winter’s chill.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Read it all<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\n

'\u00deu eart dust and to duste gewendst': an Anglo-Saxon Ash Wednesday, spring, and the life that is 'lent' https:\/\/t.co\/gW6skHKmRv<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/glBKXCfrlb<\/a><\/p>\n

— Eleanor Parker (@ClerkofOxford) February 14, 2018<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n