Ash Wednesday Sermon "Mortality as Gift" by Pr. Craig Mueller

·1 hr 19 min·5 clips

Justin Harrison used AI to create a chatbot of his deceased mother, believing technology can disrupt death.

This Ash Wednesday sermon by Pr. Craig Mueller begins with scriptural readings from Isaiah and Matthew that critique hypocritical religious practices and call for authentic spirituality focused on justice and secret piety. Mueller then introduces the story of Justin Harrison, who survived a motorcycle accident and later used AI to create a digital chatbot of his mother after her death from cancer, representing a technological attempt to 'disrupt death.' This is contrasted with the story of Rachel Rim, a pediatric palliative care chaplain who describes Ash Wednesday as the busiest day in her hospital, where administering ashes creates a profound sense of solidarity with patients and staff by acknowledging shared mortality. Mueller reflects on how Ash Wednesday serves as the most honest day in the liturgical year, forcing participants to confront their finitude and the inevitability of grief as the 'price of love.' He frames mortality as a gift that makes life precious and calls for a pause from denial-driven busyness. The sermon transitions into an invitation to Lenten disciplines—self-examination, repentance, prayer, fasting, and works of love—as a way to turn toward divine forgiveness and Easter hope. Liturgical elements include a confession of sin, prayers for the world and church, and preparation for communion. Mueller also announces Lenten opportunities for the Lakeview Lutheran Parish, such as book studies on 'The Heart of Christianity' and 'Honoring the Body.' The sermon concludes with Eucharistic prayers and a blessing, emphasizing sustenance for the journey toward resurrection.

As heard by us

An Ash Wednesday sermon finds solidarity, grief, and hope in the truth that every life ends.

This Ash Wednesday sermon treats mortality as a spiritual gift, not because death is softened, but because it breaks the illusion of endless tomorrows.

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When Ash Wednesday feels like a confrontation with the clock, press play.

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