Ashes to Ashes

Today is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the season of Lent. For those who follow the liturgical church calendar, this is the beginning of a very special time of year. Ash Wednesday takes place forty days before Easter, not counting Sundays. It is a time of penance marked (literally) by the wearing of ashes on the forehead of the worshipper. In Biblical times, the wearing of ashes was a sign of mourning. The ashes of Ash Wednesday signify mourning over one's sins and what Jesus did to take them away. The observance of Ash Wednesday is often accompanied by fasting.

My upbringing in churches of Christ was somewhat less than liturgical. Not only was the observing of special days not practiced, doing so was generally condemned. So we generally have a hard time relating to the power of formal ritual. And in doing so, I think our anti-tradition tradition has hurt us.

I know someone will object “But the Bible never says (i.e. authorizes) to observe special days.” No, and it never says (authorizes) have an invitation song either. That is our traditional (ritual) way of publicly offering people a chance to respond to Christ. Have traditions that help us focus on the things of God are good. So having a special day to stress corporate repentance and make a public commitment to that repentance cannot be a bad thing. Have a special season each year to fast, give up unnecessary material things and focus on necessary spiritual things cannot be a bad thing.

Part of the Ash Wednesday tradition are these words spoken as the ashes are applied, “Remember that you are dust, and unto dust you shall return.” We do need to be reminded of that, don’t we? And we need to live like we believe that it is true.