Ash Wednesday
We live in a world of paradoxes, they are especially found in our faith. It is through Jesus’ death on a cross that we are given life. It is through fasting that we can truly be fed. It is through giving of ourselves that the Lord repays us ten, fifty or one-hundred fold. The gospel today is a contrast to the other two readings. Jesus prescribes that our prayer, fasting, and almsgiving be done in secret and then we will repaid in secret. The bold language of Joel, “Rend your hearts not your garments” seems to suggest God desires an outward signs of repentance.
The liturgy for Ash Wednesday tries to strike a balance. Still receiving ashes on one’s forehead seems in a way to be blowing a trumpet and proclaiming look at me I am entering into the Lenten season. And of course it does have that effect. In reflecting on it really only speaks like a trumpet on Ash Wednesday itself and essentially much of our other Lenten disciplines can essentially happen in secret. If I am giving up chocolate, or choosing to take the stairs or committed to praying more, for the most, part these choices will largely go unnoticed.
Why ashes? The ashes are what is left after the burnt palms from the previous Palm Sunday. Once a symbol of joy they too have become a sign of death. It is this death that we place on our foreheads. This ritual cross of ash, reminds us of the cross traced on our forehead in baptism. Even in baptism the paradox is that we die to self so that we rise to new life in Christ. That original cross claimed us for Christ, and began our journey as members in the Body of Christ. Today’s cross is penitential and reminds us of all the ways we need to die to self so that our faith journey is freed from the shackles of sin and we allow Christ once again to reign in our hearts.
These ashes outwardly call us to interior conversion. Jesus used tactile symbols to communicate spiritual realities, bread and wine are prime examples. The bread is transformed into Christ’s body. The blood is transformed into the blood. By receiving ashes we are inviting Christ to transform us and we are committing ourselves to being open to the transformation.
Jesus gives us three practical ways that open us to this transformation. They are our Lenten disciplines of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. As Catholic Christians, these ancient spiritual practices have become synonymous with Lent, yet they can be used anytime to help us connect our own sacrifices with the ultimate sacrifice that Jesus made for us. These sacrifices work to remind us that God is God and we are not. Choose some specific disciplines that will be outward signs for you alone. These will help each of us who are well fed come to be hungry for the true food that only the Lord can give us.
Lord, as we begin this Lenten season, help us to rend our hearts so that our 40 day journey helps us to let go and completely give our self completely over to You the one who saved us! Amen.
-Michael Montgomery