Lenten Practices, Ashes

“You are dust and to dust you shall return” shall be said over millions of Christians on Ash Wednesday as their foreheads are marked with ash by the sign of the cross. Many of these millions will receive peculiar looks by those who are not familiar with the practice. Even for those who recognize it as something Christians do to mark the beginning of the season of Lent, many may still wonder why? Why be marked with ashes? What’s the deal? In the Old Testament, the wearing of ashes was a sign of personal regret at sin, an expression of a desire to change and of humility. 

Ashes for Christians echo these Old Testament meanings, Lent is a season of intense spiritual training. A season when Christians are to take stock of their lives, express regret for their sins and failures and with God’s help seek to grow more fully into the kind of persons God would have them be. This is something Christians should do year-round but in Lent, it is intensified. Ashes are also a reminder of our mortality. You will die. I will die. There is no escaping this fact. Coming to terms with the brevity of this earthly life, sharpens the focus for how we should live.

By receiving ashes, you are recognizing one of the fundamental of human realities which must be grasped to live life well. Many of our societies are keen to ignore the reality of death, to pretend it doesn’t exist. This recognition of our morality on Ash Wednesday is not an exercise of doom and gloom, but of inspiration toward living life well with God, with others, and with all of creation. The Christian faith proclaims a life that is everlasting, but before we can cling to that hope, we must first come to terms with death. Receiving ashes is one way of doing this.