Ash Wednesday and Lent
Many of us are not too familiar with celebrating Ash Wednesday and Lent in our local churches; those from high liturgical backgrounds may have celebrated these for years, but know little about them. So here’s a little background.
[If you’ve never done an Ash Wednesday service at your church, we’ll give you a few hints later on down the page!]
Lent Season –
Ash Wednesday is the beginning of the Lenten season. It is a day of penitence, a day of cleansing before heading toward the cross and ultimately the resurrection of Jesus.
Lent consists of forty days before Easter. In the western church, the Sundays are skipped in the counting of days because every Sunday is to be a joyful celebration of the resurrected Christ. So the weeks run Wednesday to Wednesday, and Maundy Thursday is the thirty-eighth day in Lent, Good Friday is the thirty-ninth, and what is called by some Black Saturday is the fortieth.
This is why the Sundays are called “The First Sunday in Lent,” etc. as opposed to “The First Sunday of Advent.”
In the same way Advent anticipates the birth of the Messiah, Lent anticipates the death of Jesus. Most of us “tone down” our Sunday services a bit during this season, emphasizing the passion, the cross, the sacrifice.
Ash Wednesday –
Ashes (along with sackcloth) have long been a sign of remorse, repentance and mourning. See Old Testament examples in 2 Samuel 13:19, Esther 4:1-3, Job 42:6 and Jeremiah 6:26. In the same way that today we see people wearing a black armband or black clothing/veil, in earlier times people expressed their mourning by dumping ashes on their heads. So putting two small cris-crossed stripes on your forehead is minor compared to those applications!
The ashes serve to remind us that we are entering a somber season of reflection, self-examination and spiritual redirection.
The ashes for the service are traditionally the residue of burning the palm fronds or palm crosses from the previous Palm Sunday. These are burned in a container so the ashes remain; then they are stored until needed on Ash Wednesday. You can purchase them at a liturgical supply store if you didn’t plan ahead this far! Be aware that a small amount of ashes goes a long, long way; so don’t purchase a gallon unless your church is mega-mega… like that church in Seoul, Korea!
Hint: It is a good idea to add a little oil to the ashes so they will stick better to people’s foreheads! You can even allude to the “anointing with oil” as a long-done ritual of blessing.
If you’ve never done an Ash Wednesday service before, it may take some explaining before you get down to the conferring of ashes. Be sure everyone understands that coming forward to receive the ashes on the forehead is not a test of their faith; it is merely a symbol, and if they are uncomfortable with it, encourage them not to participate.
Congregations whose year is vacant of symbols and symbolic activity will likely not respond well to this kind of service; you may want to invite those who want to participate to join you in another room (e.g. the chapel). Foisting this on an un-interested group can be tragic!
[I have served several very creative, symbol-friendly churches (Baptist and Presbyterian), and the one I serve now is the first to do a full-blown Ash Wednesday service. They are very well-attended and are quietly understood as deeply spiritual times.]
THE SERVICE
New Hymn -Cross of Ashes
Though likely more somber than most, the service should follow the usual patterns of your normal services. Use hymns/songs that support the ideas of repentance and recommitment. The lectionary has suggested texts for this day. Allow for some times of silence… more than usual. Do a guided prayer time.
Remember this is not a Tenebrae service yet; the cross event is still thirty-eight days away, so don’t celebrate the death of Jesus prematurely! This is about OUR preparation to join Jesus in the journey to Jerusalem… and the cross.
CONFERRING THE ASHES:
What Do You Do?
Similar to blessing the elements for communion, you may want to bless the ashes by saying something like: “God, you created us from the dust of the earth. Grant that these ashes may be for us a sign of our penitence and a reminder of our mortality.” Then invite those who would like to participate to come to the altar area.
The minister(s) or elders/deacons usually do the conferring of ashes. The people come to the front and stand in line (much like taking communion); each person steps directly in front of you, you dip your thumb or forefinger in the dish [this is when you’ll be glad you added some oil, by the way!] and get “enough” ash; you’ll know after a few times how much is enough and how much is too much!
Because I know most of our congregants by name, I usually call them by name before I confer the ashes. If they are strangers, I will often say, “Hi, I’m R. G.”, expecting them to tell me their name. There is something intimate about this process, similar to the footwashing experience; it needs to come off as communal… or “we’re in this together,” “we are on common ground in this journey.”
What Do You Say?
Much of this process goes back to God’s sentencing Adam in Genesis 3:19. Most officiates say something like: “[Martha], remember you are dust, and unto dust you will return.”
You can alter that to feel more natural to you, saying something like, “[Martha], by the creating hand of God, you and I both come from the dust of the earth; remember that we are also destined to return to the dust.” Or “[Martha], let these ashes remind you of your mortality as we head with Jesus toward his cross.”
If children are involved, try to simplify what you say: “[Kenny], I’m going to put a cross on your forehead to remind you that Jesus died for you, okay?”
In the Catholic tradition, the common statement is “Turn away from sin and believe the gospel.”
In other words, what you say is up to you; speak whatever best communicates what you want to accomplish with your people in this symbol.
Making the Cross –
On the forehead, you simply draw a line down and a line across. Make it large enough and dark enough to be seen easily.
When you finish, you can “nod” completion, or you can say something to them like, “May this Lenten season be especially meaningful in your walk with Christ.” It’s okay just to say, “Thank you” (for the opportunity of doing this act on your behalf).
Closing the Service –
You may say a further word about the season into which you are leading these people, reminding them that this was to have been a time of reflection, self-examination and spiritual redirection.
If this is the first time you’ve done this, give opportunity for some of them to voice what this has meant to them, etc.
You can close with a spoken prayer, a hymn or chorus, the repeating of the Lord’s Prayer … however you feel best. Usually the people are asked to leave the room in silence, not speaking to one another until they are in the narthex/foyer.
Some congregations wash the ashes off their forehead before they leave – as an act of cleansing; most, however, go home wearing the sign of the cross.
As you can see, there are no absolute rules for this service; it needs to “fit” your situation.