Ash Wednesday
What is it with all these Christians with funny smudges of ashes on their foreheads tonight? Why do folks who ordinarily show some degree of common sense do something as silly as get oily ashes smeared on themselves?
I'd like to muse a little bit on this whole Ash Wednesday business, and hopefully shed some light on why we do it. In some Christian circles there is great skepticism of Ash Wednesday and Lent, or anything liturgical for that matter. This can come from learning too well the lessons of the Reformation. If we believe in Sola Scriptura, why bother with ashes and Lent if neither are mentioned in the Bible? If we truly are saved by grace through faith, what's the point of it? Sometimes we "modern" folks can get too suspicious of traditions.
The short answer to these objections is quite simply that ritual acts and symbols do actually mean things. A person can be married with or without wearing the ring, but the ring means something, hence the tradition of giving rings. We light candles in worship because they symbolize the presence of the Holy Spirit. The practice of Ash Wednesday and season of Lent have been a part of Christian worship for far longer than churches have been doing altar calls and was already an ancient practice when Luther began the Reformation.
Perhaps a little history lesson would be in order here to shed some light on this rather strange ritual. In the very early church it was common practice to baptize new believers on Easter Sunday. Baptism and initiation into the church only came after the new believers (catechumens) spent considerable time in prayer and study. At first this could be over a year in length, but over time became shorter until it was forty days. The forty days of Lent were closely associated with Jesus' forty days of fasting in the wilderness before his temptaion by Satan. The practice of observing Lent came to be encouraged for all believers, not just new converts, as a way of preparing for Easter. Lent is at heart a time of penitence and self-examination before the holy, mysterious, even numinous remembrance and celebration of the events surrounding Christ's passion, crucifixion, and resurrection.
If then, Lent is a time of penitence, the most Biblical and ancient symbol fitting for beginning it is ashes. Throughout scripture ashes are associated with repentance, and the imposition of ashes is about a bibical way of expressing penitence as there can be. As Christ fasted in the Wilderness for forty days, Lent is forty days long. Christians are encouraged to practice some form of abstinence and spiritual discipline during Lent. (By the way, Sundays aren't counted as part of Lent because that is resurrection day!) We don't fast for forty days, but Christians do commonly "give up" something for Lent, and should also take on some form of spiritual discipline or exercise during Lent- be it more time in dedicated prayer, more time in study of the Scriptures, or in service. etc. I know that you may look funny with ashes on your head, but do it anyway. Humble yourself, examine yourself, and chances are you'll find that we all need the penitence for which ashes are the most appropriate symbol.
I'd like to muse a little bit on this whole Ash Wednesday business, and hopefully shed some light on why we do it. In some Christian circles there is great skepticism of Ash Wednesday and Lent, or anything liturgical for that matter. This can come from learning too well the lessons of the Reformation. If we believe in Sola Scriptura, why bother with ashes and Lent if neither are mentioned in the Bible? If we truly are saved by grace through faith, what's the point of it? Sometimes we "modern" folks can get too suspicious of traditions.
The short answer to these objections is quite simply that ritual acts and symbols do actually mean things. A person can be married with or without wearing the ring, but the ring means something, hence the tradition of giving rings. We light candles in worship because they symbolize the presence of the Holy Spirit. The practice of Ash Wednesday and season of Lent have been a part of Christian worship for far longer than churches have been doing altar calls and was already an ancient practice when Luther began the Reformation.
Perhaps a little history lesson would be in order here to shed some light on this rather strange ritual. In the very early church it was common practice to baptize new believers on Easter Sunday. Baptism and initiation into the church only came after the new believers (catechumens) spent considerable time in prayer and study. At first this could be over a year in length, but over time became shorter until it was forty days. The forty days of Lent were closely associated with Jesus' forty days of fasting in the wilderness before his temptaion by Satan. The practice of observing Lent came to be encouraged for all believers, not just new converts, as a way of preparing for Easter. Lent is at heart a time of penitence and self-examination before the holy, mysterious, even numinous remembrance and celebration of the events surrounding Christ's passion, crucifixion, and resurrection.
If then, Lent is a time of penitence, the most Biblical and ancient symbol fitting for beginning it is ashes. Throughout scripture ashes are associated with repentance, and the imposition of ashes is about a bibical way of expressing penitence as there can be. As Christ fasted in the Wilderness for forty days, Lent is forty days long. Christians are encouraged to practice some form of abstinence and spiritual discipline during Lent. (By the way, Sundays aren't counted as part of Lent because that is resurrection day!) We don't fast for forty days, but Christians do commonly "give up" something for Lent, and should also take on some form of spiritual discipline or exercise during Lent- be it more time in dedicated prayer, more time in study of the Scriptures, or in service. etc. I know that you may look funny with ashes on your head, but do it anyway. Humble yourself, examine yourself, and chances are you'll find that we all need the penitence for which ashes are the most appropriate symbol.
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