On the Transubstantiation of Dust

And God formed a man from the dust, and breathed into him the spirit of life, and man became a living soul.

You are dust, and to dust you shall return.

Adam was raised up from the dust to become something utterly different — a living, breathing image of God. It was a triumph of life over death, form over formlessness. Just as the waters of the deep, symbol of chaos, were dwelt over by God’s spirit (ruach) in order that they might be created into something meaningful, so also dust, symbol of death, was transformed by God’s breath (ruach) into a living divine image. We were created replete with God’s own life, so full of joyous harmony and order that it would be contagious to the world put under our care. Our life was to be filled with fruitfulness, joy, meaning, and by our influence, so also the world.

And yet.

Where has it gone?

Who of us has not, at times, felt all dust, all death, all fragility whose precarious order could crumble with the slightest touch? The living creature whose very existence made dust quicken into life to now finds his own life subjected to the dust instead.

I know when I feel myself more dust than living soul, and my soul rebels and cries against the bruising futility of its own efforts. It cannot escape, but it cannot cease to try because I was made a living creature, not dust. I cannot submit to this futility, yet my very efforts propagate the cycle; I am doomed to struggle against my lot until I come to life again or waste to nothing.”How can the dust praise you?” the Psalmist bemoans. What use is it for a dead thing to will itself to live?

None. None whatsoever. What is dead is dead and nothing can be done.

Peace. Be still.

Can the dust praise you?

O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord God to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live.

Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.

Surely dry bones cannot live.

Then he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”

And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting.

And the breath came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army.

And man became a living soul.

Shall not the dust praise you? You touch it, and it comes to life, and death is vanquished.