Since the 5th-8th Century (approximately), Ash Wednesday has marked the start of Lent, a 40-day period for Christians to self-reflect, repent (say sorry for our sins and turning back to God) for both our individual and collective wrongdoings, and seek to follow him more faithfully. The 40 days symbolise Jesus’ time in the wilderness, where he was tempted by Satan, which may be why some people choose to give something up for Lent. The name ‘Ash Wednesday’ comes from the act of placing ash on people’s foreheads.
Ash Wednesday in particular offers an intentional pause at the start of Lent. It is a day to reflect on all the ways we as humans (collectively and individually) have fallen short, and not loved God or people well. It’s a time to acknowledge our humanity and our reliance upon God, and to thank him for his grace that’s saved us.
Historically, ashes symbolise grief or mourning. In the Old Testament, people would wear sackcloth and ashes to show publicly that they were in mourning, and whole communities would mourn collectively for a set period of time.
For example, when God was going to destroy the people of Nineveh, they declared a fast (fasting, or voluntarily reducing or eliminating food intake for a specific purpose like devotion or prayer, is also observed by some people during Lent) and ‘put on sackcloth from the greatest of them to the least’ (Jonah 3:5). God saw a change in their hearts as they genuinely repented. It’s from verses like this that some believe the ‘ash’ part of Ash Wednesday was inspired.
In the early Church in Rome, they’d also observe times of public penance, where they’d confess their sins and repent for wrongdoing. They’d dress in sackcloth (which was typically worn by those in mourning) and be sprinkled with ashes. In the same way, the practice of having ash placed upon one’s forehead is seen as a public sign of repentance before God, as well as echoing the ‘shared mourning’ that many communities historically observed. This time of intentional grief and repentance serves as a reminder of the vastness of God’s mercy and grace, given freely to us despite our failures.
As a long-standing custom, the ashes used to mark people’s foreheads during an Ash Wednesday service are sometimes made from the palm crosses from last year’s Palm Sunday, used to remember Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem just a few days before he was crucified. As well as the fact they may have been blessed by a priest, using the palm leaves serves as a reminder that we have not always welcomed Jesus.
As Christians we impose a cross of ashes on our foreheads as a sign of repentance. For me, this symbol is a time for introspection, self-examination and spiritual renewal.
My dad at 79 had dementia and was confused all the time. My father was often confused and spoke about things which he had done when he spoke about things he had done growing up when he himself was a child. He mostly spoke about his and all the friends and relatives he encountered through the years. All this fraught with worry.
During these activities and conversations, I was led through some introspection and self-examination. I asked myself often enough, what is he thinking? Why does he worry so much?
In time I slowed down, reflected, and had a spiritual awakening. Our lives are fragile and short. We are created from dust and to dust we return. During this Lenten season, we are invited to reflect and turn to new ways. As Pope Francis says, let us “fast from sadness and be filled with gratitude”.
As I look into the future and my time with dad, I experience a sense of gratitude for the weeks we shared before his death, a special closeness and forgiveness for all we have been through together. With it came joy, knowing he was safe in the arms of Christ.
As I was reflecting on the readings for this Ash Wednesday ( Joel 2: 1,2, 12-17; Isaiah 58:1-12; Psalm 51:1-17; 2 Corinthians 5:20b-6.10; Matthew 6:1-6,16-21 &John 8:1-11) I was struck by one word in the First Reading from Joel.
The word is “reLENT.” The prophet Joel challenges all the people to come together and perform acts of self-denial and repentance so that GOD might “relent” from the punishment that the people deserve because of their sinfulness.
Although our English word, “Lent,” comes from the Old English word for “springtime,” I like to see double meanings in words. “ReLENT” comes from the Latin words re (“again”) and LENTus (“slow”). Thus “reLENT” means to once again slow down and not be so fast in making judgments. We need to “reLENT” during LENT.
We need to slow down our fast-pace living and take the time to take stock of ourselves and where we are in our relationship with the Lord Jesus (and His Abba-Father, in unity with the Holy Spirit), and in our relationships with others. Yes, LENT is also to be our “springtime” when we pass from the dead of our souls’ winter into the new life that GOD offers to us. We should therefore make GOoD use of these days that are being “LENT” to us so that we can draw ever closer to the One Who has come to share our human life with us and Who was willing to suffer and die so that His Abba would “reLENT” from the punishment which we deserve.LENT is like a retreat. We are given 40 days to prepare ourselves spiritually. It is also a special time to pray for and with those who will be welcomed into the Church at the Easter Vigil.
Ash has long been a symbol of penitence, reminding us of our true place in the scheme of things, stripped of pretension and resentments and evaluative judgements and any sense of superiority, representing – as ash does – the understanding that we would be nothing but a pile of dust were it not for the creating and sustaining persistent love of God. Yet for there to be ash there has also had to be fire. Ash is indeed a great leveller – we are all forgiven sinners. But it is also a reminder that there has been light and warmth and energy and transformative power – creative fire – and that out of dust, soil, earth, things grow. Our fruit trees love a bucket of wood ash from the boiler. Ash is an invitation to return to and align our lives with the creator, not just looking back in sorrow and repentance (ash) but moving forward with God into the life of the future (creative fire); moving into Lent and our journey towards Easter.
I once knew a couple who, every Lent, gave up television and filled their evenings by inviting people for a meal. It has always struck me as a wonderfully creative way to engage with the spirit of Lent, encompassing self-denial and cost in a spirit of giving and growth. Can we find ways to offer our creative fire too?
Each Christian carries the invisible symbol of their baptism on their forehead, even if they cannot get to church to have it marked in ash. Each person is recognisably Christ’s as they embrace humanity – their own and other people’s – and, as they take that risk, find themselves a little more confident and secure in who they are and a little more at ease with God the Father. Perhaps more able to imagine a smile of joy and encouragement there, not just a severe judge scowling at the penitent sinner.
May you find this season of Lent a time of dying to self, just as Jesus did, dying to that which is unproductive in your life and rejoicing in the new life that comes from the Lord Jesus.
Overall, Ash Wednesday is marked at the start of Lent every year. It focuses on two main themes: our sinfulness before God, and our mortality as humans, and offers a time for self-reflection and repentance. There’s a joy in Ash Wednesday too, though, as our sins and failures have been overcome through Jesus’ death and resurrection.
I journey through this Lenten season with joy and gratitude for the kindness our Lord has shown us so we can do the same.
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