it's not about the black smudge

Yesterday was Ash Wednesday, although not being Catholic I've never really celebrated or fully understood it. However, my wife is and does, so I decided to join her and attend this service to see what it was all about.

My pre-conceived notion was that the ashes had something to do with Palm Sunday and that was about it. After my wife and I had been engaged, I also found out that Ash Wednesday marked the beginning of Lent - a 40 day period of fasting prior to Easter. It turns out there is a lot more to this annual ritual than getting ashes smudged on your forehead, there is a lot of symbolism. So starting with the obvious - what exactly is the deal with the ashes? Well it turns out I was partially right, the ashes are the saved burnt remains of the palm fronds from last year's Palm Sunday service (celebrating Jesus' triumphant procession into Jerusalem). The ashes are a symbolic acknowledgement of our mortality, that from dust we came and to dust we will one day return. They are marked in the shape of a cross to symbolize ownership to Christ and that you are beginning a fast of penance. While the Day of Ashes is not a Catholic holy day of obligation (if it were, as a Catholic you would have to go), they encourage it since it is a fitting personal committment to spend the season of Lent in prayer, repentance, and humble service.

All in all, it was an enjoyable experience. The priest made some humorous comments about how Ash Wednesday is not all about getting the ashes! I also found it inspiring that he made reference to how many children give up candy for Lent, only to store up what they would have eaten for mass consumption on Easter. Using this example, he challenged everyone to instead to take whatever you choose to abstain from and use it for reaching out to the community; whether that be donating food that you have abstained from, or refocusing your energy towards charitable work. Not being sure whether I was allowed to particpate since I am not Catholic, I sat in silent prayer while everyone got up to receive ashes. Maybe I will do some more research on that because I found it to be a very meaningful ceremony that other Christian communities could benefit from.