Why We Do Ashes

To some, we may simply look like we are walking around with dirt on our foreheads come Ash Wednesday. The world may see a group of people marked by black ashes and unwashed foreheads, walking through their day in a humble posture. If this is what the world sees when they look upon Christians on Ash Wednesday, praise be to God!

Ashes are applied with the purpose of reminding Christians of our need to cleanse, scrub and purify ourselves of our sinful actions and desires. The Pastor will apply the ashes in the shape of a cross on the forehead and recite “you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” This phrase, taken from Genesis 3:19, is a reminder that our time here is temporary. God breathed life into us on our first day and one day we will take our last breath here on earth, to awaken to the joy of heaven. We are all in need of being cleansed of our sins, but not one of us is able to perform this necessary act on our own. How do we turn this sin filled body into a worthy offering for our Lord? Simply put, we cannot. We stand humbly before our Savior Jesus who alone can wash the black stain of sin from our hearts through his sacrificial death on the cross. 

The ashes used for Ash Wednesday are traditionally sourced through burned palms from the previous Palm Sunday. It does not take many ashes to distribute through a congregation. Like sin, they are very dirty and spread easily. Thanks be to God who did not leave us in our sin and darkness, but gave us His grace through the cross and brought us into the light of his love. May the ashes you wear this year, remind you of whose you are and the cleansing He has done for you.