ASH WEDNESDAY
The custom to
use ashes as a sign of repentance dates from biblical times, prior to Lord
Jesus (2Sam 13:19; Job 42:5-6; Mt 11:21; Lk 10:13) and for this reason it has
been chosen to be spread symbolically on the forehead of the penitent as a sign
of sorrow and repentance on the Wednesday, six weeks before Easter.
This custom is
very old in Western Christendom. The council of Nicaea proclaimed a period of
40 days fasting prior to the commemoration of the sacrifice of Lord Jesus on
the Cross (1), and Roman Pope Gregory I (540-604CE) is said to have put ashes
on ‘Ash Wednesday’ as initiation of this fasting period (2); finally, in the
year 1091, Roman Pope Urban II decreed the custom to be official in Rome (3).
ASH
WEDNESDAY TODAY
Even as this is
not a biblical command, the custom has been passed on to all branches of Western
Christianity (It has never been practiced in the East), to each church
according to their tradition.
Traditional
Churches, like Catholic, Western Orthodox, Anglican, and Lutheran, follow a
strict procedure to make these ashes, and other less liturgical churches, like
the Methodist and Presbyterian use common vegetable ash and apply it
symbolically without a formal rite.
Then again,
other modern Churches like Baptist and Pentecostals do not follow the
tradition.
But the
important thing, is that all of them, expect attentively the memorial of the
holy Passion and Sacrifice of Lord Jesus six weeks after, in Easter, regardless
of what day exactly they celebrate the crucifixion day.
This is a good
start, ashes or not, to meditate for 40 days, like Lord Jesus did in the
desert, over the great sacrifice and love that took to attain our salvation,
and the fact that Jesus of Nazareth did it, willingly, out of his eternal love
for us.
And He deserves
all our worship, love, gratitude, and obedience, for all eternity.
Omar Flores.
(1) Gunther Gassmann, Mark W. Oldenburg, Historical
Dictionary of Lutheranism, 2011. p. 229.
(2) Ted Olsen, "The Beginning of Lent".
Christianity Today, 2008.
(3) John W. Fenton, "Orthodox Ash Wednesday".
Antiochian Western Rite Vicariate, 2013.
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