Ash Wednesday B – George Yandell
Ash Wednesday, originally called dies cinerum (day of ashes), is mentioned in the earliest copies of the Gregorian Sacramentary, and probably dates from at least the 8th Century. One of the earliest descriptions of Ash Wednesday is found in the writings of the Anglo- Saxon abbot Aelfric (955–1020). In his Lives of the Saints, he writes, “We read in the books both in the Old Law and in the New that the men who repented of their sins bestrewed themselves with ashes and clothed their bodies with sackcloth. Now let us do this little at the beginning of our Lent that we strew ashes upon our heads to signify that we ought to repent of our sins during the Lenten fast.” Aelfric then proceeds to tell the tale of a man who refused to go to church for the ashes and was accidentally killed several days later in a boar hunt! This quotation confirms what we know from other sources, that throughout the Middle Ages ashes were sprinkled on the head, rather than anointed on the forehead as in our day.
As Aelfric suggests, the pouring of ashes on one’s body (and dressing in sackcloth, a very rough material) as an outer manifestation of inner repentance or mourning is an ancient practice. It is mentioned several times in the Old Testament. What is probably the earliest occurrence is found at the very end of the book of Job. Job, having been rebuked by God, confesses, “Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes” (Job 42:6).
As Lent begins, we hear the words in the first reading for Ash Wednesday: “Rend your hearts, not your garments.” Folks used to tear their clothes when they were upset or sad. (Maybe a sign to others of how bad it was, maybe a cry for help.) But the Prophet Joel wants them to “rend their hearts.” Something inside, presumably where God alone sees it. This description sounds rather violent. The prophet refers to people tearing an otherwise good garment. And he says we should do that to our hearts! Why? Why such a forcefully violent action?
I think it all has to do with resistance. I think Joel is giving us a powerful metaphor about change. Joel tells us that God wants us to open up our hearts, to allow the ego to give way to the inner life that God is offering. Lenten practices are disciplines or pursuits we decide to take on or give up- we hope that such actions may lay bare the vulnerable part of us, the “heart,” the part of us where God is waiting.
Lent should be for us less an “ego trip” and more of an openness to God. In fact, there’s a built-in contradiction to the Ash Wednesday Scriptures. While Joel orders us to blow a trumpet, Jesus says not to! The liturgy has us mark our foreheads with ashes; Jesus tells us not to change our appearance!
Lent starts inside, even though we keep it communally as well. For communities, there’s a “communal heart” that needs to be laid bare so that God’s work can be evident. We do this symbolically on Ash Wednesday and through Lent with the color of the vestments, simple church decorations, communal activities such as the Lent teaching series, and walking the Way of the Cross. May we allow God’s grace to grow in us this Lent! [Adapted from Father Greg Friedman, O. F .M., at Franciscanmedia.org.]