At some point today or tonight, many of us will do a very tangible thing that carries with it great spiritual significance. We won’t be forced to do it, but we will be invited to do it. Specifically, we will be invited to receive the imposition of ashes.
What a peculiar thing to do. On 359 ½ days of the year, we utilize mirrors and Kleenex for the purpose of making certain that there are no unsightly smudges on our visage. But on Ash Wednesday, we actually go out of our way to place an unsightly smudge upon ourselves. How bizarre is that?
Here’s a pertinent question: Why?
Why do we do it? Why the unsightly smudge? What’s the spiritual significance of the facial besmirching?
I would like to offer a brief three-fold reflection on that question. And though my methodology may smack of gimmickry, for the sake of simplicity and easy recall, I will utilize the three letters of the word ASH—A, S, and H—as an acronym for my three-fold response.
Why do we wear the ashes? My three-fold response is this:
1. We wear the ashes as a sign of our Acknowledgement.
2. We wear the ashes as a sign of our Subordination.
3. We wear the ashes as a sign of our Humility.
First, the ashes function as a sign of our acknowledgement. More specifically, when we wear the ashes in the right spirit, it indicates an inward acknowledgement of our sinfulness, our brokenness, and our neediness before God. The stain of the ashes, in other words, reminds us of the stain of our iniquity, thereby compelling us to acknowledge both the reality of our sin and the urgency of our need for the only One who can cleanse us of that sin.
Second, we wear the ashes as a sign of our subordination. The mark of the ashes indicates our willingness to be subordinated to the Lordship and the saving grace of Jesus Christ. In that sense, the ashes are a visible reminder to us that we are neither self-sufficient nor self-reliant. Rather, our salvation is dependent upon our willingness to be subordinated to the only One that can cleanse us of our stains.
Finally, we wear the ashes as a sign of our humility. One of the greatest obstacles to faithful discipleship is an idolatry of self or an exaggerated sense of self-importance. Don’t misunderstand me. In God’s eyes, each one of us is absolutely precious. The biblical witness is clear about that. But even though we are precious in God’s eyes, the salvation story does not center on us. Rather, the story centers on God and what God has accomplished both in us and for us.
In the orthodox Jewish faith, there is an important tradition. On their day of atonement, many orthodox Jews wear the garment in which they will one day be buried. They do this to humble themselves, and to remind themselves that they will one day return to dust. They do it to help themselves remember that the main character in their faith story is an eternal God, not any fragile human being.
On Ash Wednesday, we might not wear the garment in which we will one day be buried. But we do something similar. We wear the ashes to which we will one day return. We don’t do this to be morbid. We don’t do this to generate depression or despair. We do it to remember our place in the scheme of things. We do it to be humbled. We do it to remember that we are not the main character in the story of our life. God is.
I am praying that all of you will experience a blessed Ash Wednesday. May this day and night be a meaningful doorway into a transformational Lenten journey.
Thanks, Eric, for your reflections. As I put the finishing smudges on our service for this evening, I appreciate your insights as we prepare to gather for this powerful ritual.
Blessings!
Eric - thanks for that - it was well said. I am going to read it tonight before we worship. Be Blessed!
How marvelous is our God and the Spirit-led time we spend in connection and harmony! Sometimes that sharing leads us in truly profound caverns of thought that lead us to new heights of enlightenment. That journey is so evident in your perceptions on this topic. It is a joy to me the reader to experience that journey with you. Amen.