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Archived 03/03: A Message From the Pastor
Rev. Alice Ann Bonham
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Jonah began to go into the city, going a day's walk. And
he cried out, "Forty days more, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!" And the people of Nineveh believed God; they proclaimed a fast, and everyone, great and small, put on sackcloth. When the news reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, removed his robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. (Jonah 3:3-6 NRSV) |
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I often get questions about Ash Wednesday. "What's the
purpose of the ashes?" "Why are we doing ashes?
Isn't that a Catholic thing?" "Should I get
ashes?" Hopefully this brief article will answer these and
other questions. "Ash Wednesday emphasizes a dual encounter: We confront our own mortality and confess our sins before God within the community of faith.... While the use of ashes as a sign of mortality and penance may be new to some congregations, it has significant history in Jewish and Christian worship (as the above verses from Jonah point out). The imposition of ashes is a powerful nonverbal and experiential way of participating in the call to repentance and reconciliation. This day can become in some manner Yom Kippur, or Day of Atonement, for the Christian community." * This quote from "The New |
Handbook of the Christian Year" answers most of the
questions. No, ashes are not just a Catholic thing. The use of
ashes traces its history back to Jewish forms of worship. It is
relatively new to Protestant congregations, but it is not
foreign.The purpose of the ashes is that they are a non-verbal
means of expressing ones rejection of and repentance for sin.
Ashes also send a powerful message of the hope for
reconciliation. The one question that the quote did not answer is: "Should I get ashes?" The only one who can answer that question is you. One of the reasons for explaining the reasons for the use of ashes, was to help you make a decision for yourself. Now that there is more information available to you, hopefully you will have an easier time making this decision. If you still have some |
confusion, please come to me and ask questions. If I don't
have the answer, I will try to find it or we can find it
together. The purpose behind Ash Wednesday is that it is the
beginning of Lent and Lent is the time that we prepare ourselves
-- heart, body and soul, for Easter. Making use of the ashes
may, or may not, help move some of you into the Lenten Season
with a clearer sense of understanding. Either way, ashes will be
offered at our service on Ash Wednesday evening and all are
welcome. May God bless you and may this Lenten season bring you closer to God, the Risen Christ and power of the Holy Spirit. Amen. In His service,
Pastor Alice Ann
*"The New Handbook of the Christian Year", Hickman, et. al., page 115 |
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