Ash has been our friend for thousands of years as a natural cleaning, filtering, fertilizing and strengthening agent. In fact, it is still used to make lye soap, purify water, feed new plant growth and as an additive to cement to help it cure or give it bulk. As for charcoal, that’s been used creatively by prehistoric people and budding artists for cave painting and modern portraits. Ash has some very useful properties for cleansing, building and being creative, but one of the most startlingly beautiful sights I’ve ever seen was in a vast forest that had been burned to the ground except for the sad skeletons of charred trees and stumps, yet poking through the blackness were some vivid green shoots of new life, seeming even lovelier set against the dark ruins all around.
In scripture, we read about people wearing sackcloth and throwing ashes over themselves, or sitting amongst ashes, either as a sign of mourning, or repentance – this humble, uncomfortable appearance advertising their sadness at loss, or of doing something they regretted. It is in that context that we come to Ash Wednesday, one of the two great fast days still kept by the modern Church, adding the sign of the cross and using the words Remember you are dust and to dust you shall return, as a reminder that we are mortal, but also offering us a sign of forgiveness and new life as whatever we repent of is cleansed. Perhaps we cannot figure out what it is that we need to turnaround or what new direction to take, so we are invited to follow a rhythm of reading, prayer, contemplation and alms-giving to help us filter the stuff of our lives through the ashes, purging our hearts, minds and souls whatever we regret, ready to greet Easter feeling lighter and livelier that before we began this holy journey.
There is plenty of biblical precedent for this, and evidence of the spiritual benefits found by practicing how to include scripture reading, reflection, prayer, alms-giving or other acts of charity for a period of time – in our case, the five weeks of Lent that lead up to Holy Week. They say it takes about three weeks to make or break a habit, so that allows us a bit of leeway for some false starts, lapses, or slow progress. If you need a coach, or suggestions, please ask one of us, (John, Clare or myself), because we’ve experienced the thrills and spills of starting or giving up something, so what worked, what did not, so what may be worth trying.
But a word of wisdom and warning from Jesus – when we undertake to do something intended to please God and help us grow in holiness, grow as spiritual beings, so grow in love and charity towards others, he says don’t make a big show of it, because that undermines the benefit. You see, the process is intended to help us become righteous in the real meaning of the word – to enjoy right relationships with God and others, rather than become self-righteous which is a poor substitute for the real thing. In whatever we decide to do, or not do, Jesus suggests we be sincere, and while it may be a solemn undertaking we should celebrate our decision and efforts, not be sombre. Similarly, we can be pious and generous without showing-off.
Jesus also talks about treasure and was probably talking about possessions at the time, but the same applies to feelings – we should try to treasure the holy and enjoy the heavenly experience of developing happy hearts, and storing up the joy of happy, healthy habits that help us grow and relationships flourish, by trusting God’s grace to guide us rather than be addicted to the constant pressure of changing fashions and self-promotion, and that even applies to spiritual practices if we make a great show of them.
What about putting ash on our foreheads? In this day and age could that be construed as showing off? It depends if we are hypocrites looking for attention like some Pharisees did by praying on street corners, or are trying to trumpet our ‘good works’ before others. For me, the act of allowing someone to mark me with a cross made from ashes is highly symbolic and significant in ways that change according to my situation. At the very least, it reminds me that I am mortal and will return to dust one day, but still have the here and now to turn from things, including habits or thoughts that are destructive, and instead practice or resume practices I have let slip that point in the direction I believe Christ leads me towards. But because I fall down, and have fallen short, I recognise that publically before you whose love I can count on. Why? Because I accept that I’m just human, yet thanks to the steadfast love of God that I know through what Christ did on the cross, I am free to be fully human, and fully alive, so enjoy being human, not ashamed of it. You can too, and what better way, what better company, what better place to acknowledge our imperfections, yet be loved and accepted for who we are – forgiven sinners, free to continue the path towards holiness.
How about when we leave here? It’s between you and God how you decide to keep a holy Lent, but whether you wear the ashen cross, or remove it, what matters more is that you appreciate its symbolic significance. It is a sign of an invisible grace – God’s grace which can work through the changes that we are moved to make, or by our making a conscious decision in trying to follow God’s holy ways. Either way, if we try to be consistent in our efforts, we will know the difference and possibly others will too. We all recognize holiness, sincerity and genuine loving kindness when we encounter it – it’s beautiful and stands out, like those vivid green shoots I once saw in the blackened forest floor where the ash left by the fire had fertilized the ground for new growth. May an ashen cross help prepare new ground for you to grow and come alive for others to enjoy too.