Ash Wednesday: grateful for ash
Why am I grateful for ash today? It isn't something for which I usually feel gratitude.
Ash sometimes feels like a nuisance. I think of ash in a fireplace that has to be cleared out. Or ash carelessly dropped from a cigarette.
Ash sometimes makes me feel sad. I think of the ash that was the last mortal remains of my parents and grandparents.
Ash is certainly not something I usually use to decorate my body. I have never repented or grieved in sackcloth and ashes in the literal way I read about in the Hebrew scriptures.
So, why today will I welcome an imposition of ash on my forehead, accompanied by the words,
'Remember you are dust and to dust you shall return'?
It's hardly designed to cheer anyone up on a cloudy and wet Wednesday morning. Why is it good to be told you are going to die, that you are not immortal? Because I know it is true, but need to be jolted into facing up to that truth from time to time.
For Christians, today is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent, a season to prepare for Easter. Some find helpful the ritual used by some churches of using ash to sign people with the cross on Ash Wednesday. I am one of them, because although it reminds me of my mortality, it is also a sign of hope. The ash is mixed with oil and oil is a symbol of healing. The ash with oil is used to draw a cross on the forehead. The cross is the sign of Christ, a badge of discipleship of Christ and a reminder of Christ's death for the sins of the whole world. We are not only reminded that we are going to die, but encouraged to
"Turn away from sin and be faithful to Christ."
So, today I am grateful for ash, but even more grateful to Christ my Saviour.
If you would like to read previous posts for Ash Wednesday you can find some here:
Ash Wednesday
What's Ash Wednesday and Lent About?
If you would like to read previous posts for Ash Wednesday you can find some here:
Ash Wednesday
What's Ash Wednesday and Lent About?
Very helpful Nancy. But to my muddled thinking, I can't help thinking that the ashes emblem is possibly a throw back to darker times, when many people's faith was based on God's wrath and fear of eternal damnation. Why do we need reminding that we are not immortal?
ReplyDeleteWith love Anton
I see your point about darker times Anton. Why do we need reminding that we are not immortal? Many of us live in denial of the reality of death. I don't mean I think we should be constantly thinking about death. I mean we can't pretend it isn't a certainty, sooner or later and none of us know when. So many fail to prepare for death, either spirituality such as learning to trust God or practically such as keeping our affairs in order, writing wills etc. I think there is some wisdom in aiming to live each day as if it were our last, but recognising there will always be much left undone. I don't think I am managing to do that yet, but I think that learning "to be faithful to Christ" involves learning to live fully in the present moment, rather than fretting over yesterday or worrying about tomorrow. Another reason to be reminded of our mortality is as a reminder we are not God (only God is immortal). I do believe that God offers eternal/resurrection life - but that is for another post one day.
DeleteThis year as we are in vacancy, the job of burning the palm crosses to produce the ash fell to me. Our retiring Vicar gave me instructions on what to do and I had to do it at home, in the back garden. The remains of last years Holy Oils helped to ignite and I was surprised how fierce the blaze was. Using a pestle and mortar I was able to grind the ash down to a paste, and it went well on the Day. I than had the privilege of returning the ashes to the earth in the church yard. A new Vicars, Simon has been appointed and will be installed on 4th May by Bishop James, he and his large, young family will fill the vicarage up, for the first time in 15 years, we will have a young family living there. What not to like? Our vacancy has been mercifully short about six months in total, and we're fortunate to receive a first incumbent, meaning we can learn and grow together.
ReplyDeleteI'm please you had the opportunity UKViewer to prepare the ash by burning the leftover palm crosses. Going through that process can be a helpful spiritual exercise I think and for me brings home the message of Lent that we are preparing for Holy Week and Easter. Did you use an empty baked bean tin as I have done in the past? The difficult bit is getting the right balance of ash with oil to make the paste. Too much oil and you finish up dripping ash and oil on the floor. Too little oil and the ash falls off the forehead and doesn't leave a cross mark. I've been in both those situations.
Delete