Ash Wednesday

Today is Ash Wednesday, and I kind of wish I had ash on my forehead. For many churches around the world, Ash Wednesday signals the beginning of Lent, a season of repentance leading up to passion week and Easter. Ash is put on the forehead as an outward symbol of an inward posture of repentance. Ash Wednesday and Lent in general have been bashed by some evangelical Christians who point out that every day should be a day of repentance, that having a season of repentance implies minimizing repentance the rest of the year. This may be true for some people and churches that observe Lent, but it doesn’t have to be the case. In fact, going through a season of repentance and reflection before passion week can be spiritually enriching. Whereas others makes a big deal out of New Year’s and resolutions, there should be place in our Christian discipleship for repenting on how our life often does not reflect the new life we have in the resurrected Christ, celebrated on Easter. Why not spend Lent as an intentional time to reflect on how we can take off the “old man” and clothe ourselves with the “new man” that we have received by grace through faith in Christ? Just maybe ash on our foreheads would help us think more seriously about “since we have been raised with Christ…”.

I like how TS Eliot likens ‘Ash Wednesday to climbing a staircase.’ We step up slowly, prayerfully, sorry for all the ways we have gone wrong, the ways we have fallen short. We want to go up, though we’re not sure where we’re going and we’re rather afraid to look down. On the journey, in taking steps forward, the staircase may be obvious and easy, carefree and fun or ricketty and treacherous! On the journey the angle of sight and views change along the way. Openness to God on the staircase is always invited and always best.

Ash Wednesday is marked with ashes, the symbol of death and repentance. We are marked with and rescued by the work of the cross — the ultimate symbol of hope. We have a new grace filled opportunity each and every day. Walk well!