Back to Ashes

My parents were watching my children on Wednesdays while I worked. It was Ash Wednesday, so they took them to Mass. My son was only three or four. He didn’t understand the occasion though he was well used to going to Mass. He didn’t understand why they went up twice and certainly was surprised when the priest put ashes on his forehead.

“What did he put on me?” he asked my mother.

“It’s ash,” she replied, “because from dust you came and to dust you will return.”

“I’m not dirt!” my son retorted incredulously to the laughter of those nearby.

We expect children to not understand, and it’s even amusing, but how many of us adults still don’t grasp the concept of receiving ashes. I need to remind myself each year why we do this, especially because I need to re-explain it to my children and students. The story of my older son from years ago resurfaces in my mind each year as well. Now I watch him try to explain things to my little one who’s nine years younger. It’s a lovely circle.

The tradition of ashes dates back before it was written down. It’s a tradition that was passed down through oral tradition and action. Putting ash on oneself is a sign of repentance as we are dust (Gen 3:19). Also, Joel 2:12-13 tells us, “Yet even now - oracle of the LORD - return to me with your whole heart, with fasting, weeping, and mourning. Rend your hearts, not your garments, and return to the LORD, your God, For he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love, and relenting in punishment.”

“The ashes come from the burnt Palms from last year's Passion Sunday celebration, which begins Holy Week. So, these ashes bring us back to our last celebration of the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus for us. On this first day of Lent, we begin a journey of renewal - from death to life. This is a joyful season. We will make sacrifices, in order to try to let God reform our desiring, but this is a time for God to be generous to us.” -Online Ministries, Creighton University

Lifeteen also has some great responses on this. Perhaps a good and simple reason from this list of options is, “I’m a sinner. I don’t always love God as strongly as I could or as directly as I should. Ash Wednesday reminds me that it is only through God that I have life; He gave it to me.”

While we use the ashes as an outward sign of repentance, the whole of Lent is about an inward repentance. We should rend our hearts now more than ever and seek a greater faith in the Risen Christ that we may someday be raised up by Him Who made us.

Wear your ashes today, and then wear them on your hearts all throughout Lent. For what you do in private, God sees in private (Mt 6: 6,17-18). We shouldn’t be bragging about our sacrifices of course, but our devotion to the Lord should be a genuine act of love to the Lord from us personally. Neither should we completely hide what we’re doing, but go about our faithful tradition as prescribed with prayer, fasting, and devotion. If asked, it’s a chance of evangelization. If not, the Lord still sees.