Today is Ash Wednesday.
One of the things about being a Lutheran working with a Presbyterian mission is the differences in observation of church dates. Also, one of the things about being a protestant in a highly Catholic country is taking large steps to make sure the practices and observations of the church are not confused with Catholic practices. It's hard to explain, I suppose. It almost feels like I'm in a time of the Reformation, and the tendency is to run the opposite direction rather than take part in some of the good practices of the Catholic church. I do however understand that the evangelical church in Peru is at a point in its history that it needs to definitively distinguish itself from the Catholic church, and for good reason too. And at this point, part of making that distinction is to not observe Ash Wednesday.
Unfortunately, Ash Wednesday is one of the services that I usually treasure the most during the church year. First of all, it marks the beginning of the season of Lent, a 6 week of season reflection and repentance, something I feel I really need right now as well. True, in order to repent, I don't need to attend the Lenten Soup Suppers (potato soup's my favorite) or spend my Wednesday night omitting "alleluias" right and left, but it is something that I appreciate greatly to have a setting which is designed to make me focus. I need that. Ash Wednesday is such a unique time. Here's a short overview from the LCMS website:
A contemporary Lutheran appropriation of the Imposition of Ashes should begin with the two-fold biblical understanding of ashes: as a sign of our mortality and as a sign of our repentance. Likewise, the traditional formula, “Remember, you are dust, and to dust you shall return,” is most appropriate, since it paraphrases the words of God in the Garden of Eden (Gen. 3:19). By receiving the ashes, the worshipper acknowledges that God's judgment against our sin is right and just. But the ashes are also made in the sign of the cross—the very instrument by which our Lord took upon himself the punishment for our sin, in our place. Thus, the cross of ashes serves to remind us that we are sinners, and that Christ died for us sinners.
So on this Ash Wednesday, I will not be receiving the ashes on my forehead, but thanks be to God that His promises still remain despite the lack of outward signs.
1 comment:
So, today I was reminded of my dear Lutheran friend when a man walked into my cafe with a black smudge cross on his forehead. I got to share with some of my workmates what this signifies and how one day, long ago, my roommate walked into the house with the same smudge. Before I knew what it meant I said you've got something on your face", and reached up with my thumb to wipe it off. She, knowing why it was there, dodged me like the plague and yelped, "NO!". Ah, yeah. Good times. Good times.
Post a Comment