Posted on 02/10/2016 7:39:44 AM PST by Salvation
Photo Credit: Jaclyn Lippelmann for the Catholic Standard.
As a boy, I remember wondering why so many people liked to rush to Church to get ashes smudged on their foreheads. Frankly, I had some revulsion at the idea of having dirty ashes smeared on my forehead. I didn't like it at all and would secretly rub them off when no one was looking. Today, though I'll admit I still don't like it too much, I behave myself and don't rub them off!
I pray that this doesn't seem impious, but I still marvel at how many people pack into Church to get ashes on their forehead. Sadder still, some who come don't seem to want Holy Communion nearly as much. In fact, in some of the parishes where I served in the past, significant numbers walked out the door after receiving ashes and did not stay for Communion.
Of course most people who come to Mass are faithful and have their priorities straight. But it still interests me how large the numbers are for something that seems to me so unappealing and also challenging.
Indeed, the sign of ashes is quite challenging if we come to terms with what it really means. We are saying some pretty powerful stuff and making some extensive promises of a sort.
What do ashes signify? Perhaps a brief tour of Scripture is in order:
Humility -- Job said, "You [Oh Lord] asked, 'Who is this that obscures my counsel without knowledge?' Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know. You said, 'Listen now, and I will speak; I will question you, and you shall answer me.' My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes" (Job 42:3-6).
Notice that Job does not merely repent in a general sense. Rather, having encountered God, he realizes that God is God, and that he, Jacob, is a creature, mere dust and ashes in the presence of God, who is being itself, who is all in all. Yes, Jacob is a son in the presence of a Father; he is not God's equal that he might question God or put Him on trial.
Hence in this case the ashes represent not only repentance, but humility as well. The Church's liturgy echoes this theme of humility in quoting Gen 3:19 "Remember, you are dust and unto dust you shall return" as the ashes are placed on the individual.
A Reminder of death and a call to wisdom -- After Adam sinned, God told him, By the sweat of your brow you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return (Gen 3:19).
As he imposes the ashes, the priest usually recites some form of this passage. And memorable though it is, consider an even blunter form: "You are going to die."
This is a salient and sobering reminder that we often get worked up and anxious about passing things, while at the same time being unmindful of the certain and most important thing, for which we really must be ready. We tend to maximize the minimum and minimize the maximum. Sadly, like the man in one of the Lord's parables, we can amass worldly things and forget the final things. To him the Lord said, "You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?" So is the man who stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God. (Luke 12:21-22).
Thus, to consider our final end is wise; to fail to do so is foolishness defined.
Ashes are a sacramental that points to the Sacrament -- The Old Testament declared, You shall gather up the ashes of the heifer and put them in a ceremonially clean place outside the camp. They shall be kept by the Israelite community for use in the water of cleansing; it is for purification from sin ... For the unclean person, put some ashes from the burned purification offering into a jar and pour fresh water over them. Then a man who is ceremonially clean is to take some hyssop, dip it in the water and sprinkle the tent and all the furnishings and the people who were there (Numbers 19:9, 17).
This text shows ashes obtained from a burned sin offering and mixed with sprinkled water as a cleansing ritual. In the Old Testament, this ritual could not actually take away sin (cf Heb 9:9-13) but it did provide for ritual purity. It also symbolized repentance and a desire to be free from sin.
In the same way, ashes on Ash Wednesday (mixed with holy water) cannot take away sin. They are a sacramental, not a sacrament.
To receive ashes on Ash Wednesday and then not go to confession some time during Lent is really to miss the point. If one really desires to repent and be clean from and free of sin, then from the sacramental of ashes one goes to the Sacrament of Confession. Otherwise the ritual of Ash Wednesday is pointless.
A sign of a true change -- Scripture says, When the news [of Ninevah’s possible destruction in forty days] reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, took off his royal robes, covered himself with sackcloth and sat down in the dust (Jonah 3:6).
Here, too, repentance is symbolized. But the symbol alone is not enough; actual repentance is required. The king does not just "get ashes"; he issues a decree calling for fasting, prayer, and true reform: Do not let any man or beast, herd or flock, taste anything; do not let them eat or drink. But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth. Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence. Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish (Jonah 3:7-9).
Hence another option for the priest to say as he places the ashes is, "Turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel."
It is not enough to get a sooty forehead. True repentance is called for, an actual intent to change. Otherwise the ashes are a false sign.
A summons to faith and a new mind -- Jesus said, Woe to you, Korazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes (Matt 11:21).
Jesus rebukes ancient towns for their lack of faith in what He said. It is good to recall that the Greek word translated here as "repented" is μετενόησαν (metenoesan), which more literally means "to come to a new mind or way of thinking."
The fact is, there are many ways that we think about things that are more of the world than of God. Our ongoing challenge is to come to a new mind and to think more as God thinks. This is only possible by His grace, working through Scripture and Church teaching.
It is significant that the ashes are smeared on the forehead or sprinkled on the head. We are called to a faith that transforms our mind. We are called to be transformed by the renewal of our minds (Romans 12:2).
Hence another option for the priest is to say, "Repent and believe the Good News" as he imposes the ashes.
So, how real are your ashes? Do you intend the things described above as you go forth? Or is it just a ritual, something to do because it's "sorta neat"? Pray and reflect on the deeper meaning of the ashes.
You can believe this is you want. That's fine. Paul praised the early churches for the good order. Their good order was adiaphora, neither commanded nor required. These acts do not replace grace. These rituals provide good order.
If someone says that these rituals or works replace grace, I will join you in their condemnation. But these rituals and structures are not forbidden or inherently bad.
It is neither commanded to the Church, not instructed, nor modeled, nor written about before 100 AD.
I don't think you properly understand adiaphora. The church is allowed to do thing not commanded nor instructed.
Formula of Concord: X. Church Rites, Commonly Called Adiaphora.
Therefore we believe, teach, and confess that the congregation of God of every place and every time has, according to its circumstances, the good right, power, and authority [in matters truly adiaphora] to change, to diminish, and to increase them, without thoughtlessness and offense, in an orderly and becoming way, as at any time it may be regarded most profitable, most beneficial, and best for [preserving] good order, [maintaining] Christian discipline [and for eujtaxiva worthy of the profession of the Gospel], and the edification of the Church. Moreover, how we can yield and give way with a good conscience to the weak in faith in such external adiaphora, Paul teaches Rom. 14, and proves it by his example, Acts 16:3; 21:26; 1 Cor. 9:19.
I Corinthians 14:40 - "But let all things be done properly and in an orderly manner."
The Apostle Paul, commanding the church to good order...
A poor banner to justify things. It explains the acceptance of the totality of syncretic paganism that was incorporated and celebrated. All of which is false.
Apparently. But another poster answered my question.
Everyone can post on this one.
Is that alright with you?
The one you posted is a caucus.
Ash Wednesday doesn’t belong to Catholicism, OTC Christians also participate.
Of course you can invite anyone your want into your caucus thread.
Exactly! Good order is commanded, but not defined. The church gets to decide what is good order.
I think you confuse belief with ritual. By the way, do you have January on your calendar? How dare you celebrate Janus the two-headed god!
You conflate the two....one is not ok the other. Context is your key to understanding the Word.
A good and blessed Holy Lent To All!
Ashes are a reminder that we are to die to ourselves, to LOVE God and LOVE others.
Actually, Paul specifies to the Corinthians what is and what is not orderly.
“How dare you celebrate Janus the two-headed god!”
There is a significant difference between using a calendar and elevating a pagan ritual to the status of being used, approved and encouraged in a Christian Church.
There is no difference. During January I don't worship Janus and during Ash Wednesday I don't worship Odin.
The claim that this or that Christian ritual is based on pagan roots is often used to try to discredit Christianity. It's often based on faulty logic and often contradictory. If you have a theological problem with Ash Wednesday, that's one thing. Guilt by association is another.
We might as well get rid of Christmas (and a host of other holy days) because of pagan roots.
Now the adoration of Mary does have pagan roots and that is a problem, but that's because it is theological rather than ritual.
Any pagan ritual/belief/practice that is combined with Christianity doesn't make Christianity better, it pollutes it. It doesn't redeem paganism. It turns the hearts of people from the miracle of salvation and creates a system of works.
Do you really believe that all good order is written about in 1 Corinthians 14? What about Colossians 2:5 "rejoicing to see your good order"? This good order of the Colossians is never enumerated.
The fact is that 1 Corinthians 14:40 all things should be done decently and in order. Some of this good order is covered in the Bible. Other details are left up to the church.
I doubt your assertion that Ash Wednesday has pagan roots. I am part of a liturgical church that celebrates the church year along with feasts and festivals. This good order has been built over years. It has nothing to do with works. We are saved by grace, through faith, for works. The good order is a construct in which we operate.
If there is something wrong with the practices of Ash Wednesday, let's hear it. If there is truly a problem, then we need to reform or eliminate the practice. But I have no interest in dismantling tradition because some expert studied history and equates a pagan practice with church tradition. Just search "pagan roots Christianity" and you can drive yourself crazy.
Please post the roots and dates of any Christian source. We know it didn't appear during the time of the Apostles. It was added later.
We know the practice of wearing ashes honored a false god to earn his favor, as posted above. If this is not so, it should be demonstrable.
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