“The imposition of ashes — of dust — is a reminder of our death, a symbol of sorrow for our sins”
IN JUST over two weeks, on Feb. 18, Catholics and Protestants will mark what is known officially among Christians as the Day of Ashes – a day of repentance, when Christians confess their sins and profess their devotion to God.
Theologians say the ashes symbolize both death and repentance. During this period, Christians show repentance and mourning for their sins, because they believe Christ died for them.
While there is no mention of Ash Wednesday in the Bible there is a tradition of donning ashes as a sign of penitence that predates Jesus.
In the Old Testament, Job repents “in dust and ashes,” and there are other associations of ashes and repentance in Esther, Samuel, Isaiah and Jeremiah.
The imposition of ashes – of dust – is a reminder of our death, a symbol of sorrow for our sins. The symbol of dust that comes from the Book of Genesis: “You are dust and to dust you will return.”
We are creatures of sin, but, not always sinning, and frequently perplexed about our impending return to dust.
The ashes used on Ash Wednesday are made from the burning of palms blessed in the previous year’s Palm Sunday celebration, when Christians carry palms to recognize the Gospels’ reference to Jesus’s path being covered in palm fronds on the day he entered Jerusalem.
Feb. 18 marks the beginning of Lent and is always 46 days before Easter Sunday.
Lent is a 40-day season (not counting Sundays) marked by repentance, fasting, reflection, and ultimately celebration.
The 40-day period represents Christ’s time of temptation in the wilderness, where he fasted and where Satan tempted him.
Lent asks believers to set aside a time each year for similar fasting, marking an intentional season of focus on Christ’s life, ministry, sacrifice, and resurrection.
Often called the Day of Ashes, Ash Wednesday – while more common in liturgical traditions like Anglican, Lutheran, and Methodist churches, others like Presbyterians, Baptists, and Nazarenes may also observe it – starts Lent by focusing the Christian’s heart on repentance and prayer, usually through personal and communal confession. This happens during a special Ash Wednesday service.
During Mass (for Catholics) or worship service (for Protestants), the priest or pastor will usually share a sermon that is penitential and reflective in nature. The mood is solemn – many services will have long periods of silence and worshipers will often leave the service in silence.
Usually, there is a responsive passage of Scripture, usually centered around confession, read aloud about the leader and congregation. Attendees will experience communal confession, as well as moments where they are prompted to silently confess sins and pray.
After all of this, the congregation will be invited to receive the ashes on their foreheads. Usually, as the priest or pastor will dip his finger into the ashes, spread them in a cross pattern on the forehead, and say, “From dust you came and from dust you will return.”
Ash Wednesday, which initiates a 40-day journey (excluding Sundays) of prayer, fasting, and alms giving, commemorating Jesus’s time in the wilderness, is an act of covering oneself in ashes which is a biblical expression of mourning and repentance, as seen in the examples of Job and Jonah.
It prepares believers for the “Easter Triduum” – the holy days of Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday.
Theologians say the ashes serve as an external sign of internal sorrow for sins and a commitment to turn back to the Gospel, adding the ashes applied to the forehead signify that the recipient belongs to Jesus and acts as a sign of purification and humility.
(The author is a freelance writer who writes orations for necrological services as well as theses and dissertations for graduate students.)
