“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.” – Matthew 11:21 NIV
This Wednesday you may see a strange sight – ordinary people walking around with a smudge of ashes on their forehead, as if they had been cleaning a chimney and forgot to wash up. What would prompt someone to go out in public like this? Of course, the answer is: Ash Wednesday. But that still doesn’t explain why. There are many special days of worship in the church year and yet on no other day do Christians walk out of church looking different. Only on Ash Wednesday do we leave with an outward sign that we have worshipped.
The ashes of Ash Wednesday are a sign of repentance. In the bible, people showed their humility, repentance, and sorrow by wearing uncomfortable clothes made of a material like a burlap sack with ashes sprinkled on themselves. It was a public sign that they were sorry for their sins and desired forgiveness and a fresh start.
Centuries ago, Christians began to follow this tradition at the beginning of Lent, the 40 days of self-reflection and self-denial leading up to Easter. Jesus died for a sinful world and we recognize our part in that by marking the sign of the cross in ashes on our bodies.
There are times when words don’t feel like enough, when we feel compelled to show the depth of our feelings by an outward sign. How many flowers have been given by someone to show that they are sorry? How many marriage commitments have been sealed by exchanging rings? In the same way, Christians have felt moved to show their repentance and to humble themselves before God by receiving ashes.
On Wednesday, March 5th, rezYouth will be leading the worship service at 7:00 pm. At this service, you may receive the sign of ashes if you so desire. Of course, one doesn’t need ashes to repent, but sometimes you want to show it. Whether you want to receive ashes or not, I invite you to worship on Ash Wednesday.
A blessed Lent to you,
Pastor Mark