What is Ash Wednesday and why do people “celebrate” it?
(This post is running a day early in 2021).
Well, perhaps “celebrate” isn’t the right word.
Acknowledge it, soberly, for what it means to Christians.
Ash Wednesday and the liturgical church
Generally speaking, Ash Wednesday in liturgical church traditions is the beginning of Lent.
It marks 40 days of spiritual preparation for Easter.
Roman Catholics, Anglicans, Lutherans, Eastern Orthodox, Methodists, and Presbyterians, generally, are the denominations that mark it on their church calendars.
My Lutheran Church has a solemn service on Ash Wednesday, along with a simple soup and bread dinner in non-COVID years.
We gather for Wednesday night services through Lent, reflecting on Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection.
Those of us in the choir sing solemn songs marking a time of abstinence for many, additional prayers, and times of reflection.
While Lent, per se, is not mentioned in the Bible, the concept of meditation, mourning, contemplation, and reflecting on our sins, runs all through it.
Ash?
Ashes are a symbol of mourning and repentance.
Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of this “season.”
At our church services, we walk forward and the pastor marks the sign of the cross on our forehead, or the back of our hand.
We usually walk out of a dark church, quietly, contemplating how we will prepare our souls for the glory of Easter 40 days away.
Learn Religions explains where the concept comes from in the Bible:
The Bible does not mention the custom of Lent, however, the practice of repentance and mourning in ashes is found in 2 Samuel 13:19; Esther 4:1; Job 2:8; Daniel 9:3; and Matthew 11:21.
LearnReligions.com
Some churches, including the Lutheran church we attended in Hawai’i, burn the celebratory palm branches from the previous year’s Palm Sunday, to make the ashes.
Why Wednesday?
Since Easter is always on a Sunday, the beginning of Lent is always 40 days before, which makes it a Wednesday.
Simple.
The number 40, itself, is significant in the Bible and usually is the length of a testing period.
Noah and his ark experienced rain for 40 days and 40 nights. Jesus went to the desert for 40 days of fasting prior to beginning his ministry. Moses fasted and prayed for 40 days before God gave him the 10 Commandments.
Moses lived as a prince in Egypt for 40 years. He was away from Egypt in Midian for 40 years. He returned to lead the Israelites through the wilderness for 40 years.
In the early Christian Church, baptisms only took place on Easter. Those awaiting baptism spent the 40 days prior to the event preparing their souls.
Their preparation took the form of fasting, praying, confessing their sins, and awaiting their “new birth” as a follower of Jesus.
This may be where the concept of “giving up something for Lent” came from.
The day before Ash Wednesday
Some traditions call the day before Ash Wednesday Shrove Tuesday.
Mindful that fasting, penance, and contemplation begins the next day, people may confess their sins to “clean house.”
They also may indulge in foods, activities, or one last splurge on whatever they plan to “give up for Lent.”
Many people eat pancakes!
Mardi Gras, or “Fat Tuesday,” celebrates similar behavior.
Fat Tuesday, of course, refers to eating fatty or indulgent food, the day before Lent begins.
Lent Reflections
Amy Boucher Pye wrote a book on Lent preparation called The Living Cross: Exploring God’s gift of Forgiveness and New Life.
She’s got some great ideas on how to prepare for that glorious Easter morning only 40 days away!
Tweetables
Why Ash? Why Wednesday? Click to Tweet
What is Ash Wednesday? Click to Tweet
I am also a Lutheran and love all aspects of the Church calendar. This was a great explanation. Thanks. Don’t know if we will be going to Ash Weds services this year. We are in a deep freeze right now. We are over 70 and are limiting our exposure. I will miss it.
Ours will be outdoors or online. The pastor has put together what people need to administer ashes in their homes. It’s a good reminder of what we’re reflecting during this season. Blessings .
What I noticed years ago is that there are actually 47 days between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday. That is why some believe that Sundays are “exempt”, so to speak, from whatever one is fasting from. One can indulge on those Sundays, and still have a total of 40 days of fasting.
Oops. I forgot to check the box to notify me of new comments. 🙂
That’s what I only learned last year–probably from you. Thanks for pointing that out.
You’re welcome. 🙂