Wednesday ashes: A dirt of purity Those who are keen observer of the liturgical activity of the Church would probably notice that Ash Wednesday is one of well the observed religious practices in the church. Though this is not a holy day of obligation in our tradition, many of our people feel obligation of letting their foreheads be marked with an ashes cross. But many of our people who loved this practice of imposing ashes do not understand the spiritual meaning of this religious custom. Others look at it as a kind of emulate that protect the person from evil spirits. Other look at it as a source of blessing so that other even insists in allowing their children to receive the ashes. Have we not ask ourselves why ashes? Ashes in the Bible The practice of imposing ashes on Ash Wednesday is closely related to the penitential character of the Lenten season. In the Old Testament we find some reference of using ashes as sign of penance. The prophet Jeremiah includes the rolling in the ashes as sign of repentance (Jer. 6:26). Daniel pleaded for God’s mercy with sackcloth and ashes as sign of Israel ’s repentance (Dn. 9:3). The most well known reference of the used of ashes as ritual for repentance was the act of penance done by the King and the people of Nineveh . They all covered themselves with sackcloth and sat in the ashes (Jon. 3:6). There are still many other biblical reference in the Old Testament. In the New Testament, Jesus connected the use of sackcloth and ashes as sign of repentance. Jesus said, Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida ! For if the mighty deeds done in your midst had been done in Tyre and Sidon , they would long ago have repented in sackcloth and ashes (Mt 11:21, Lk 10:13). Ashes in human experience Perhaps we can understand better the significance of the ashes to our spiritual life when we reflect upon the accompanying formula during the imposition. There are actually two formulas being use during the imposition. The first formula, the traditional one says “Remember, man, you are dust and to dust you will return. This formula is taken from the book of Genesis 3, 5. They remind us of the fall of our first parents. They want to be like God and rebelled against His will. The ashes are symbol of transiency. They were remained of something burned. By receiving the ashes we are reminded of life’s shortness. That we are just passing in this world. All of us will pass away and will return into ashes. So we are reminded to strive for the eternal values and for the essential things for salvation. The second formula is taken from the Gospel according to St. Mark 1, 15. It says “Turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel”. In this context we can say that the ashes symbolize the present state of sinfulness of human person and the call to purification or conversion. The ashes look dirty. It is therefore a sign of impurity of human soul cause by sinfulness. Yet ashes may look dirty but it is actually a very pure element since it underwent the process of burning which destroyed all impurities. Therefore ashes symbolize also the purification process that the human person needs to undergo. The imposition of ashes with its accompanying formula reminds us of the two fold movement of the process of conversion - the negative movement of moving away from our sinfulness and the positive movement of moving closely to Jesus Christ. A time of penance, a time of grace. Ash Wednesday is the grand opening of the Lenten season of the Church. It is the solemn beginning of the forty days of prayer and penance in preparation of the Easter celebration. As such Ash Wednesday is a time of fasting and abstinence. Fasting means that only one full meal one should be taken during the day. This is applicable only to those who are in their 18th year of age. Sick, elderly and pregnant women are exempted form the observance of fasting. Abstinence is the practice of refraining fro eating of meat, milk-product, or seasonings or sauces made from animal fats. The law of abstinence is binding for those who are already 14 years old. The purpose of these practices is for us to do a kind of penance as means for spiritual sanctification. As we deny ourselves with physical food, we also hunger for the presence of God in our lives allowing ourselves to be opened to his grace. The Ash Wednesday and the whole Lenten season is truly a time of grace, for we come to encounter in this celebration not only our personal offenses before God but above all we come to encounter the face of the loving God who is always there to embrace us welcome home. And after we celebrate this holy season, we may come to say like St. Paul, I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me: and the life I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. (Gal. 20:20). From Marben Marallas
Posted on: Wed, 05 Mar 2014 12:52:21 +0000
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