For myself and the hundred or so other worshippers around me, today's noon hour was one dedicated to contrition and repentance as we were led through the corporate prayers of the Ash Wednesday liturgy. After the communal prayers, each of us walked to the front and a cross of ash was marked on our forehead as the following words were spoken over us:"Remember that from the ashes you came and to the ashes you will return."
The symbolism in this ancient Christian tradition is thick. The cross on the forehead comes from the Hebrew tradition of binding the law on the forehead prescribed in Deuteronomy. To them, this tradition symbolized the law consuming and controlling their minds. To us, the cross consumes and controls our minds - we think, we see, and we live cruciform. The ashes symbolize the dust of the earth from which we were made, and we realize through them that without the breath of God we would not have physical life and without the Spirit of God, we would not have eternal life (the word for Spirit in both Hebrew and Greek can also mean breath and wind).
Ash Wednesday is not a joyous celebration as many of our other feast days are. It is a day for remembering the abyss from where the Lord has taken you, of remembering and confessing your many sins, that they may be covered, and of the beginning of fasting to commemorate and to be conformed to the sacrifice of our Lord.
After service, I went back into the world conscious that the cross of ash on my forehead was visible to all. I made certain that I smiled a little bigger at people, I held the door open for more people, I was more patient with a slow library worker. All this because I knew that I would be identified with that cross on my forehead. I wonder why I am not always conscious of this identity? I wonder what the world would be like if all of us who identify ourselves with the cross lived as though there were always one of ashes on our foreheads.
5 comments:
powerful, Jackson.
As Jack and I were entering the church parking lot last night, he asked me what was symbolic about the calendar timing of Ash Wednesday, and why was Lent 40 days, (plus the Sundays, right?) and I had to confess that I did not actually know. And then we were doubly glad that we were heading in to church! Knowing our church, I knew they would be faithful to instruct on this occasion. And we learned that in the early Church, the Lenten season was actually for the non believers....a time to introduce new believers to faith and was culminated in their baptism at the Easter vigil. Then it turned into a general renewal time for all Christians....and Ash Wed. became the "kick off" of sorts, reminding us that we are finite and HAVE A NEED FOR GOD....a time to bring our sins to light, repent, and spend 40 days reflecting on our human condition.
"wow" I thought. How much BETTER that makes Easter to a believer, when one really OBSERVES Lent with that state of mind. Obviously, I'm confessing that I never have.
I am looking forward to this 40 days in so many ways, and I anticipate (assuming I will be true to the commitments I have made to myself and to God) that this Easter will be more joyous spiritually than any Easter I have experienced. Thanks, Jackson, for just adding to my instruction, and building on what I heard at church last night.
At this point, one might say, "Happy Lent!" but that doesn't quite fit, does it ?) :) :) I'll make up something else.... How about
Blessed Turning...... Love, MomK
i appreciate the depth of honesty here, Lashier Family! Challenges me to be more "real" today. Transparent.
Ash Wednesday and Lent are things I've never "studied" or really heard too much about or maybe REMEMBER hearing about in church. And it's never really been a "practice" or service I've attended. All growing up, I'd say "we dont practice that" and never gave it another thought.
Having read this, and having recently been intrigued and challenged to study more about fasting, how appropriate that this year my heart would be ready to hear and read and experience this.
Also my 2 cents worth - in college, it always always ALWAYS bothered me that people would go down to the catholic church on wednesday, get the ash on their forehead, and that night i'd see them stumbling through the halls drunk as skunks or walking unchanged from any other day. What's the point? Why associate myself as another one of those "christians" who bares the title but stands no further from the world than the next guy? What does it look like to stand apart, to really be alive with Christ, to recognize the significance of that ashen Cross?
Just some thoughts. I'm rambling. Basically - I appreciate this post. And your family!
OK, I want to ADD that the main reason that we decided to take off the crosses was that we were going into a BAR! Well, Champs is kind of a neighborhood bar and grill, but often when it's busy and you take first available table, you often get put in the bar area. So I just wasn't sure that I wanted people walking by me saying, "oh sure, those Christians go to church and then go sit in a bar!" (it's for the onion rings :) So, Kelly, where do you live now?
i like that we are conversing via blogger - that is FUNNY! and so so great. it brings the world closer together.
you Lashiers are the best.
We're living in Pleasant Hill right now - all the way on the east side of Des Moines. For now.
Thanks for the kind comment Mr. Lashier!
Hey-
This blogsite is called the communion of saints right? And at the risk of over theologizing everything, isn't it amazing how our common bond of the Spirit connects us even though we live in different places? Its true even with those saints who live in different time periods, which is why I have brought into the conversation their quotes from time to time. Converse away!
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