Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the season of Lent. This year it falls on February 22nd. The worship service, which begins at 7pm, is a simple and quiet time.
It is, by the way, an ASH Wednesday service. If you choose to take part in the entire service, you will leave with ashes on your forehead.
In preparation for this service, here is some information about Ash Wednesday.
1) Its official name is Day of Ashes and originated in Europe in the 900’s.
2) Why ashes? They are a biblical symbol for mourning and repentance and therefore appropriate for the season of Lent because remembering the sacrifice of Christ also brings to mind our own sinfulness and need for forgiveness. Ashes are also reminders of our mortality (“ashes to ashes, dust to dust”) and therefore reminders of our need to be right with God.
3) Why ashes on the forehead? In the Bible a mark on the forehead is a symbol of ownership. By having their foreheads marked with the sign of the cross, believers are saying they belong to Jesus Christ.
Finally, please understand that Ash Wednesday, Lent, Good Friday are not ends in themselves. Instead, they are meant to aid us in our walk of faith. They are intended help us remember this central truth: Jesus is “the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” .
