Surrounded by Ashes

By Fr. John Hagemann

Perhaps most people do not notice the trees that surround the cemetery at Mount Michael. They are ash trees. They are native to Nebraska. It so happened when it was time to have a cemetery here at the abbey, an area was chosen where there were natural ash trees. And so, it came to be that our cemetery was bordered by these ash trees. It has always seemed appropriate to me when we speak about coming from dust and ashes and going back to dust and ashes, especially when cremation is an option now.

Unfortunately, ash trees don’t last very long now and many of them will have to be replaced around our cemetery. But we enjoy their beauty now in the fall season as their leaves turn to shades of yellow.

Dust to dust – ash to ash — may the ash trees rest in peace as well!