For me, one of the most meaningful parts of preparing for the imposition of ashes is the burning of the palm branches that were waved last Palm Sunday. That's right, early next week I will burn the palms and those ashes will then be traced in a cross on the foreheads of those who gather next Wednesday. The ashes remind us of the frailty of our humanity -- they were waved in celebration of Christ's triumphant entry into Jerusalem; they disappear as we betray Christ on Good Friday; they are transformed into ashes and become part of the ritual that announces, "From dust we have come; to dust we shall return."
Another powerful part of the Ash Wednesday experience is the personal contact of pressing the ashes onto the foreheads of those who gather. It is an intimate moment -- a moment for me to not only connect with people, but to also live out my ordination in administering this practice.
As Ash Wednesday approaches, what memories do you have of Ash Wednesday celebrations that have taken place previous years?
What is on you mind as you approach Ash Wednesday this year?
Yours in Christ,
Richard
Maundy Thursday and Easter have been very special times of worship for me for many years, but I haven't traditionally felt the same connection with Ash Wednesday. I was so disconnected from the day that in college I saw other students with ashes on their foreheads and had to ask them what they were. My focus at the beginning of the Lenten season had always been on what I was going to give up, and that wasn't necessarily a decision I approached with prayer. I am looking forward to spending the beginning of Lent this year early in the morning in prayer and meditation in the sanctuary, expanding my whole sense of Lent's significance by reflecting on Ash Wednesday's meaning in a way I haven't before.
ReplyDeleteI too have little memory of Ash Wednesday until I was an adult. As a child, the two memories I have most are Christmas Eve services and Good Friday services. I have come to greatly appreciate the Ash Wednesday opportunity to focus on how to begin Lent.
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