Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the Lenten season in the Christian church calendar. It falls 46 days before Easter Sunday, not counting Sundays. The date changes from year to year, but it is always between February 4th and March 10th.
On Ash Wednesday, Christians attend church services where ashes are placed on their foreheads in the shape of a cross. The ashes are made by burning palm leaves from the previous year’s Palm Sunday service. This symbolizes repentance and mourning for sins. As the ashes are applied, the minister says “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return” (Genesis 3:19). This reminds Christians of their mortality and need to repent during the Lenten season.
The Significance of Ashes
Ashes have historically symbolized repentance, mourning, and sacrifice. In the Old Testament, people wore sackcloth and ashes to show their repentance and plead with God for forgiveness and mercy (Jonah 3:6, Daniel 9:3, Jeremiah 6:26). The prophet Jeremiah called for Judah to “roll in ashes” as an outward sign of their mourning for sin (Jeremiah 6:26).
When Jesus began his public ministry, John the Baptist declared, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 3:2). Those coming to be baptized by John confessed their sins and were baptized as a sign of repentance. Lent is similarly a time for Christians to repent and reflect on their sin in anticipation of Easter and Christ’s resurrection. The ashes remind believers of their inner call to repentance and point toward the hope of redemption through Christ.
Origin of Ash Wednesday
The tradition of using ashes originates from the old rites of public penance in the early church. In the early centuries AD, Christians who committed serious public sins like adultery were required to do public penance before being allowed to fully participate in the church again. Part of this penance involved being sprinkled with ashes, dressed in sackcloth, and excluded from the Eucharist during the 40 days of Lent.
Eventually the strict public penance system faded away, but the beginning of Lent remained associated with ashes as a sign of mourning and repentance. Around the 10th century, the Roman Catholic church officially marked the start of Lent with the blessing and distribution of ashes on what is now called Ash Wednesday. The Protestant denominations retained the Ash Wednesday tradition after the Reformation.
Ash Wednesday Traditions and Customs
There are several main traditions associated with Ash Wednesday:
Church Services and Ashes – Most churches hold special services where ashes are placed on the foreheads of worshipers to mark the beginning of Lent. The ashes are applied while the minister says “Repent and believe in the Gospel” or “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” In some churches worshipers kneel at the altar rail to receive the ashes. The color of the ministers’ vestments is often violet or grey, symbolizing penance.
Fasting – Many Christians fast on Ash Wednesday by eating simple meals and refraining from meat. Fasting reminds believers of their dependence on God and the need to repent of sins. Catholic churches encourage fasting and abstinence from meat on Ash Wednesday and Fridays during Lent.
Prayer and Reflection – Ash Wednesday calls Christians to spend focused time in prayer and reflection on their sin and need for a Savior. People may pray through the Stations of the Cross, read Psalms of repentance, or read through the book of Joel which urges repentance. Visiting a garden of Gethsemane reminds believers of Jesus’ suffering in taking humanity’s sins upon himself.
Repentance and Confession – Along with solemn prayer, Christians are encouraged to confess and repent of specific sins. This may be done during the church service or privately before God. Repentance makes the Lenten season a powerful time of spiritual renewal and drawing closer to God.
Lenten Sacrifices – Many Christians commit to fasting from certain things or activities during Lent. This might include giving up desserts, TV, soft drinks, or meat as an outward discipline to focus the heart on repentance. Lent is also a time to embrace fuller spiritual disciplines like Bible reading, prayer, serving others, and financial generosity.
No Glories in Worship – Starting on Ash Wednesday, many churches remove alleluia’s and songs of praise from their worship services during Lent. This helps create a somber, repentant mood appropriate for self-examination and awareness of sin. The glories return on Easter Sunday celebrating Christ’s resurrection.
Ashes to Go – Some churches offer “Ashes to Go” where they go out to public places like sidewalks, train stations, and college campuses to mark passersby with ashes. This brings the Lenten call to repentance out into the everyday world.
Meaning of the Ashes
The ashes represent several important spiritual meanings:
Mortality – The words spoken as the ashes are applied – “you are dust and to dust you shall return” – remind Christians of the mortality inherited through original sin. This mortality points to humanity’s created distinction from the eternal God.
Repentance – Ashes were used anciently as an outward sign of repentance and pleading for God’s mercy. They represent sorrow and contrition for sins committed.
Cleansing – While ashes symbolize repentance, they also point to the cleansing Christians receive through Christ’s sacrifice. After sin and death entered the world, God provided a redeemer.
New Life – Lent is a journey that culminates in the new life and hope of Easter Sunday. The ashes begin a season of turning from sin back to God and preparing hearts for resurrection life through Jesus.
Humility – Ashes remind Christians to embrace a spirit of humility and their own limitations and frailty apart from God’s redemption. They break human pride.
Why Wear Ashes on the Forehead?
Ashes are placed on worshipers’ foreheads in the shape of a cross. This visible, public mark serves several purposes:
– The cross shape ties the ritual to the gospel message of salvation through Christ’s death and resurrection. The ash cross is a powerful emblem of Jesus’ redemptive work.
– Marks on the forehead symbolize an inward condition of the heart and mind. The ashes demonstrate a sincere and serious inner repentance, not just an outward show.
– Wearing the ashes publicly shows a commitment to repentance that will shape someone’s whole Lenten season. It is a concrete starting point on the road to Easter.
– The very visible cross of ashes inspires conversations about the meaning of Lent in our culture. This can spark Gospel sharing opportunities.
– Seeing other Christians publicly wearing ashes inspires our own commitment to repentance and reflection during Lent.
– In the Old Testament, ashes or dust on the head signified mourning or repentance (2 Samuel 13:19, Esther 4:3, Job 42:6). The ash cross continues this ancient practice.
– Starting in the Middle Ages, Christians would begin Lent by being sprinkled with ashes. The ash cross on the forehead developed later on but carries the same meaning.
The seasonal nature of the ashen cross reminds believers that the call to repentance and self-examination is an ongoing need in the Christian life.
Common Ash Wednesday Scripture Readings
There are several passages of Scripture commonly associated with Ash Wednesday worship services:
Joel 2:1-2, 12-18 – Joel urges Israel to repent and return to the Lord before the coming day of judgment. He calls for fasting, weeping, mourning, and rending of hearts instead of garments.
Isaiah 58:1-12 – The prophet denounces Israel’s false outward shows of repentance like fasting while continuing injustice and oppression. True repentance involves loosing bonds of wickedness, feeding the hungry, and caring for the oppressed.
Psalm 51 – This psalm of King David pleads for God’s mercy and cleansing from sin. It embraces repentance and honest confession before God.
Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21 – In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus warns against outward displays of piety like announcing fasts to gain public praise. Instead true devotion is done secretly before God.
2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:10 – Paul speaks of the believer’s ambassadorship and ministry of reconciliation to God. Now is the day of salvation. Marks of ministry include endurance, afflictions, purity, and patience.
Matthew 4:1-11 – Jesus fasts for 40 days in the wilderness while being tempted by Satan. Christians follow Christ’s model during their Lenten fasts.
Matthew 26:36-46 – In the garden of Gethsemane shortly before His death, Jesus suffers and prays asking for God’s will. He accepts the cup of suffering for humanity’s sins.
There are other readings from the Old Testament prophets, Pauline epistles, and Gospel portrayals of Jesus’ passion that share appropriate themes for the beginning of Lent.
Why 40 Days of Lent?
Lent is a 40 day period from Ash Wednesday to Easter, not counting the Sundays in between. Sundays are treated as “mini Easters” and kept celebratory even during this otherwise solemn time.
The number 40 holds special significance in the Bible as a time of trial, preparation, testing, and fulfillment. Here are some key “40s” in Scripture:
– The floodwaters covered the earth for 40 days in Genesis 7. God was cleansing and judging the world and preparing to establish His covenant with Noah.
– Moses spent 40 days on Mount Sinai receiving the 10 Commandments from God (Exodus 34:28). This prepared Israel to enter into covenant relationship.
– Israel wandered in the wilderness for 40 years before entering the Promised Land (Numbers 14:33). God was testing and humbling them to fully rely on Him.
– Goliath taunted Israel and defied God for 40 days before David slew him (1 Samuel 17:16). Israel was tested until God’s deliverance came through David.
– Most importantly, Jesus fasted and was tempted in the wilderness for 40 days before starting His earthly ministry (Matthew 4:1-2). Jesus relied fully on the Father to resist temptation and prepare for His mission.
In the early church, Lent developed as a 40 day period of preparation for new converts before their baptism at Easter. This time of discipleship mirrored Christ’s 40 days before launching His public work. Converts were instructed, disciples, prayed for, and participated in fasting before their baptism.
The number 40 represents a complete period of testing and preparation before beginning something new. Lent lasts 40 days because it mirrors and remembers Jesus’ complete time of fasting, testing, and temptation before His earthly ministry that led to the cross and resurrection.
Should Sundays be Included in the 40 Days?
In counting the length of Lent, the 40 days do not include Sundays. Sundays are treated as “feast” days commemorating Jesus’ resurrection. Even during the reflective Lenten season, Sunday worship maintains an Easter spirit.
Here are some insights on why Sundays are excluded from the 40 days of Lent:
– In early church practice, both Saturdays and Sundays were kept as joyous celebrations remembering Jesus’ work. The strict Lenten fast only took place Monday through Friday.
– Later, after Sunday became the primary Christian celebration day, Lenten fasting continued Monday – Saturday. Sundays were weekly Easter feasts remembering Christ’s resurrection victory over sin.
– Jesus’ 40 days of fasting in the wilderness were continuous days. But Lent focuses on our discipleship preparation, not an exact calendar replication of Jesus’ experience.
– Sundays center on Eucharist and celebration. Fasting and penance are thus inappropriate on these days of feasting on Christ through the Word and Table.
– Lent culminates with Passion Week. Keeping Sundays distinct from the 40 days reserves focus for commemorating key events in Holy Week like Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter.
– With its joyous hymns, scripture texts, and prayers, Sunday worship creates weekly respites during the 40 days of Lenten self-examination and repentance. God’s grace remains central.
– Lent equips believers for Easter. Excluding Sundays keeps the culminating day in clear view as worship sustains the hope of resurrection life.
So while Lent spans a 40-day period, from Ash Wednesday to Holy Saturday, there are actually 46 days including the 6 Sundays that are not counted as part of the traditional 40 day Lenten fast. The Sundays highlight the promise of the Easter message.
Key Events During the Lenten Season
In addition to Ash Wednesday starting off the season, there are other special days that are part of the traditional Lenten calendar in many churches:
Palm Sunday – One week before Easter, this celebrates Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem when crowds welcomed him with palm branches (John 12:12-19). It starts Holy Week.
Maundy Thursday – Remembering the Last Supper, some churches hold special Communion services in the evening. The name comes from Jesus’ command (mandatum) that we love one another (John 13:34-35).
Good Friday – A solemn day of mourning Christ’s death on the cross for our sins. Some churches fast and hold afternoon or evening services focused on his sacrificial passion.
Passion Sunday (Fifth Sunday) – The last Sunday in Lent looks forward to Holy Week and Christ’s suffering with scripture readings and hymns on this theme.
Holy Saturday – The Saturday before Easter, remembering Jesus resting in the tomb after His crucifixion. Some churches hold prayer vigils on this day.
These special days intensify the themes of repentance and Christ’s sacrifice as the season builds towards Easter Sunday and the empty tomb.
Lenten Traditions
In addition to Ash Wednesday worship, there are various traditions and practices commonly associated with Lent:
Fasting – Many Christians commit to fasting or “giving up” certain foods, drinks, or activities to purify their desires and commit stronger focus to God. This helps remove distractions and remind them of Christ’s suffering.
Daily Devotion – Special Scripture readings, meditations, and prayers are often part of daily home observances during Lent. Some families pray together or use Lenten devotional guides.
Purple Vestments – Church clergy often wear purple vestments during Lent symbolizing repentance and solemnity. The altar may also be draped in purple.
Crosses and Crucifixes – Visual symbols like empty crosses help reinforce the Lenten focus on Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross and hope of resurrection.
Corporate and Individual Confession – The Lenten call to repentance includes reconciling broken relationships and asking forgiveness. Believers confess sins privately and corporately.
Worship Fasting – Joyful elements of praise like festive hymns or the word “Alleluia” are often removed from Lent services. Worship becomes more solemn and minimalist.
Stations of the Cross – This 14 step devotional practice meditates on Jesus’ path from condemnation to the cross by focusing on specific events.
Fish on Fridays – Because Jesus multiplied loaves and fish to feed the five thousand, Christians historically had fish instead of meat on Fridays during Lent.
Lenten Almsgiving – Special offerings above tithes and offerings are collected to bless others in need. Donations often go to charities and relief work.
As believers seek to grow closer to Christ during the Lenten season, these traditions serve as outward spiritual disciplines to focus attention and frame the inner journey of repentance and renewal.
Summary Thoughts on Lent and Ash Wednesday
To summarize key insights on the meaning of Lent and Ash Wednesday:
– Ash Wednesday starts off the Lenten season with a solemn call to repentance and mourning through ashes and confession. This begins a period of self-reflection in view of Christ’s suffering.
– Ashes have historically symbolized grief, mortality, lament, and pleading for cleansing. Placing ashes in the shape of a cross reminds believers of Christ’s sacrifice to purify humanity and defeat death.
– Lent lasts 40 days mirroring Jesus’ time of testing in the wilderness. It is a period of preparation as Easter approaches, just as converts were prepared for baptism in the early church.
– Sundays during Lent are celebratory, not counted in the 40 days. This reserves focus for commemorating Holy Week events like Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter.
– Lenten traditions like fasting, confession, and special services aim to cultivate repentance and intentionally examine one’s sin and need for divine grace.
– Everything in the Lenten season points towards the hope and triumph of Easter morning when Jesus rose as victor over sin and death. This victory is life-changing for all who put their faith in Christ.
The reflective season of Lent provides believers an annual opportunity to rehearse and reappropriate the gospel message of salvation accomplished through Christ’s sacrificial love. This readies Easter hearts to rejoice in the Resurrection.