Ash Wednesday

For those who are not too familiar with the Christian calendar, today is Ash Wednesday. This is the first day of the season of Lent and occurs forty-six days (forty days not counting Sundays) before Easter. It falls on a different date each year because it corresponds to the date of Easter. This year Easter is on April 12.

Ash Wednesday gets its name from the practice of placing ashes on the foreheads of Christians as a sign of repentance. The ashes used on Ash Wednesday are gathered after the Palm branches from the previous year's Palm Sunday are burned.

In the Ash Wednesday worship service, people come forward and receive the sign of the cross on their foreheads. As the minister or priest does this, he recites the words: "Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return." This is taken from Genesis 18.27, where Abraham came before God and referred to himself as "dust and ashes."

In the Roman Catholic and Anglican Churches, Ash Wednesday is also observed by fasting. Other Christian denominations (ie. the Christian Reformed Church) do not mandate a fast on Ash Wednesday. The main focus is on confession of sin and repentance.

Ash Wednesday is a day of repentance and contemplation. The Old Testament teaches us that ashes were used in ancient times to express grief, mourning, and lament. Jeremiah told the nation of Israel to mourn over its coming destruction by rolling in ashes (Jeremiah 6.26).

In the context of Temple worship, the ashes that were produced by burning a red heifer were used to bring about purification among God's people (Numbers 19.9-10; Hebrews 9.13).

Dusting oneself with ashes was also the penitent's way of expressing sorrow for sins and faults. An ancient example of this is found in Job 42.3-6. When speaking to God, Job said, "My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes."

In this light, let us come humbly before the Lord our God on this holy day, and acknowledge his unfailing love and compassion, and receive his saving grace into our lives once again.

Ash Wednesday Prayer:
God of all joy,
Create in us a new and contrite heart.
Fill us with your Spirit and give us grace.
In this season of Lent,
Remind us of your triumph over the tragedy of the cross,
And your victory for us over the powers of sin and death,
So that we may reflect your glory as disciples of Christ.
Amen.