Cheerful message, isn't it? Well no, not at first glance it isn't. So - why do so many Christians celebrate Ash Wednesday six weeks before Easter?
The practice of putting ashes on the head goes all the way back before the time when the stories about King David were written in the Bible. When people were in grief or sorrow, they would make themselves dirty and wear rags to show outwardly the suffering they felt on the inside. It was the exact opposite of smiling or looking nice to show your inner beauty. The custom was look as bad as you feel so everyone knew and could show sympathy - or at least not expect you to be pleasant.
Later on around the time when Jesus lived, there was more of a pointed emphasis on guilt and forgiveness. After the crucifixion of Jesus, Christians began the custom of requiring public repentance of sin before one could be baptized and join the Christian faith. And then finally around the beginning of the 9th century Pope Urban II declared that on the 40th day before Easter, all Christians should be marked with ashes to confess their guilt and sin publicly in preparation for the forgiveness and salvation of Easter.
The United Church of Canada still practices this custom, as people wish, or find meaning in at the beginning of Lent. The custom of being marked with ashes, as well as the rest of the season of Lent - as we call the 40 days before Easter - have different meanings to different people. For some, they may feel drawn to the idea of confessing sin and guilt, for others it may be a public lament of the grief or suffering they feel. To some, it may be a reminder that life is finite, with a beginning we don't remember and an end that is unknown to us.
Personally, this last reason is the one I like best and the meaning that the ashes always have for me. When I reflect on that awareness of mortality, it reminds me that life is a gift that I truly do not want to waste or take for granted. I recognize what my priorities are - spend more time with the people I love, learn things, let go of all the little things that won't matter in the end, put the phone down, plant something in the earth, write a song, play with the dog. I always feel gratitude for the reminder that I have a little more time. Maybe a lot more, but at least I seem to have today, so I can do something about it. I can live!
So can you. If you're reading this, you have today. And hopefully a few more days. May they all have value and meaning! Live out loud, be the unique and beautiful person that only you can be. Remember that the core inside of you reflects the image of God and create something special. May all of your days be blessed.
Rev. Sula-Anne Kosacky
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