Lent is a season full of special days and rituals. Some of these are not familiar to everyone in our church. I’m going to try to explain Ash Wednesday for you today and next month I will write about Palm Sunday and Holy Week. I hope that this makes the Lenten season more meaningful for you.
Ash Wednesday is always the first day of Lent. Lent is a season that focuses on prayer, reflection and forgiveness and is practiced by many Christians denominations. Ash Wednesday’s date varies from year to year, both the month of February or March, and this makes Easter “early” or “late”. On Ash Wednesday evening, we go to church, hear the story of Jesus’s death and receive ashes on our foreheads. I mark each person’s forehead with a cross of ashes saying "Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return." The shape of the cross is important because it reminds us that in Jesus’ cross we are forgiven. The same cross is marked on our foreheads with oil at our baptism.
Where do the ashes come from?
The ashes consist of burned palms from the previous year's Palm Sunday service. The ashes are blessed by the pastor. The ashes are mixed with a little oil to make them stickier.
Why do we use ashes?
Ashes represent humility and sacrifice for those who wear them. In olden days of the Bible, sack cloth and ashes was a sign of mourning. Later in Christian history ashes were sprinkled with ashes and sackcloths worn by people who committed serious sins. They were also turned away from church for the whole season of Lent until Holy (Maundy) Thursday, by which time they had made penance for their sins. We don’t do this anymore. The sign of the cross is a sign of forgiveness, not indictment. Jesus death frees us from sin and God forgives us our sins.. This is what we celebrate on Ash Wednesday.
Why do some people fast on Ash Wednesday and other days of Lent?
Fasting, or not eating certain foods or any food at all, is part of the Lenten season for some Christians. The Lutheran church does not require fasting, and health practices must come first as well. Fasting is a spiritual practice that can help us to focus on God, as can prayer, meditation, Bible reading, doing service for others and coming to church. Catholics and members of some other denominations do not eat meat on all Fridays during Lent. Again, Lutheran practice does not require this, thought you are certainly willing to continue if this has been your practice.
How long does Lent last?
Lent is the period of time from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday, and lasts six and a half weeks. The final week of Lent is called Holy Week. During this period, Christians reflect specifically on the last days of Jesus Christ's life. During Lent, Christians practice the spiritual disciplines of praying, fasting, repenting of their sins, and making changes and sacrifices in their lives. During Holy week we have services on Thursday, Friday and Sunday for Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter respectively.
See you in church!
Pastor Jennie
jennieswanson@sbcglobal.net
630-479-1970
