As I sit here at the computer writing this, my forehead still bears the sign of the cross that was smudged on with ash some three hours ago at our Ash Wednesday service at First Lutheran in Poulsbo.
In my previous Christian venue, I viewed such practices as pretty much superfluous rituals. At the same time I do realize that for many wonderful brothers and sisters in the faith, this practice has lesser importance because their focus is on constancy all the time.
But for me, it was wrong to think the way I did, and I need to acknowledge it. Truth is, the worship I just experienced was perhaps the most moving and meaningful I have ever savored in my entire Christian life.
Lent is considered, by Lutherans at least, to be the most reflective time of the church year, and Ash Wednesday is the most somber day during the period. The day marks the beginning of the Lenten season.
Lent focuses our thinking on faith and life, and we observe it in a mood of penitence. The word “Lent” actually means “springtime”, which is the season of preparation, planting and growth. It has been called the “holy springtime of the soul.”
Ashes are used as a symbol of our frailty. Ashes represent judgment, humility, repentance, mortality, God’s condemnation of sin, and our complete dependence on God for faith and life. The black soot can also represent cleansing and rebirth.
In tonight’s worship bulletin, it was pointed out that ashes are what remain when the old has been burned away and the new life is left to sprout and grow. So, we use ashes as a reminder of our sin and as a hope of the new life we share in Christ Jesus.
Our associate Pastor, the Rev. Alison Shane, indicated in her sermon that Lent is a time for God to speak to us in prayer, in repentance, in worship, in fasting, in service to others and in giving of our time and money. As a church, we’ll focus on these habits of discipleship – also referred to as our piety – all through the Lenten season.
She also pointed out that we should practice our piety in private, and before the Lord, citing Christ’s teaching in Matthew chapter 6: “Beware of practicing your piety before others in order to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven.”
She was careful to point out that we should practice piety – but it should be before God and not for recognition in front of people . This Lenten season (as well as the rest of the year, I might add) is a wonderful time for such praxis.
Following Communion we exited the service in silence, pondering the words of the post-Communion prayer: “God of our pilgrimage, in this meal you nourish us with the gifts of faith and hope, accompany our journey through these forty days. Renew us in the gift of baptism, that we may provide for those who are poor, pray for those in need, fast from self-indulgence, and above all, that we may find our treasure in the life of your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.”
Amen. Thanks be to God.
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