You’ve probably seen people with ashes on their forehead in mid February, and maybe you’ve even worn them yourselves. Have you ever wondered, “Where do your ashes come from?” or “Why do you have soot on your face? You know that flu powder doesn’t work on muggles.” Okay, maybe only Harry Potter nerds like me think about that. So, for the curious at heart, enjoy my personal process and response for our congregation to the question, "Where do your ashes come from?"
The short answer is that most of the ashes we use are from palm branches used in last year’s Palm Sunday service at First Presbyterian Church in Manhattan, Kansas. This use of the palms connects our yearly tradition of remembering the events that lead up to the crucifixion, death and resurrection of Jesus. The ashes in the shape of a cross mark the beginning of our time of remembrance, as we set aside this time to draw closer to Jesus through acts of sacrifice like fasting and giving of our time for study or service.
The long answer holds more significance for me. So much of our faith seems like a mental or emotional exercise, and I feel like Jesus calls us to be more physical. I want to experience Jesus in my bones, in my hands, right here, right now. So, I love this physical way to remember why we are here on earth and what is to come for us in the future.
Ingredients
A Bit of Earth
The faithful who told the story of our creation said that God formed us from the dirt, calling us literally earthlings or mud people. So, when we say “From Ashes to Ashes” we are saying we are connected to the earth, we come from the earth and when we die, we will return to the earth. Why were we created? The faithful said we were created to keep God company and to care for God’s creation. The soil and the ashes remind us that we were put on this earth to be in relationship with God, with each other and with the land, the animals, the oceans the universe, everything we see and hear, our purpose is to enjoy it and be a part of it. So, we begin with some soil from the ground.
Ashes ground from burnt palm fronds and paper
As fire consumes the leaves and paper, Jesus absorbed all of the betrayal and suffering of the world when he died. During his ministry, Jesus consistently asked people to leave their old life behind, and pick up the new way of being and caring for others. In earlier times, when people would cry out to God they would cover themselves with ashes and rip their clothing to show the intensity of their anguish and struggle. Centuries before Jesus walked the earth, the prophet Joel instructed God’s people to “rend their hearts and not their clothing,” meaning that if they want their lives to change, they should tear or transform their hearts instead of just focusing on their outer selves.
At the Light last Sunday we wrote down the parts of our lives that are pulling us down, absorbing all of our energy like darkness and shadows, keeping us from receiving the “Light of Christ.” So, the second ingredient will be ashes from our struggles in this world. The ashes of the palms signify the struggles of our ancestors of faith, and the ashes from our papers on Sunday signify the struggles of our modern day.
Olive Oil
Oil makes the ashes stick, so there is a sort of practical need for it, but at the same time, God’s people loved to use oil as a symbol of blessing from God. So, when I see the ugly dirt and ashes reflecting the light around us, I am reminded that through all of the struggles and death and pain that we endure on this earth, God promises blessing, renewal and most of all resurrection. Sometimes I add a little scented oil to extend the feeling of blessing to one more sense.
Mix ashes and dirt and then add oil to desired consistency.
Then we mark the symbol of Christ’s suffering, the cross, on our hands and foreheads. This cross, combined with the evidence of our suffering and the promise of hope, becomes a visual representation of God's power to bring new life out of death.
So, why do I looking forward to wearing ashes on Ash Wednesday? Every day I live to tell of God’s power to bring life and renewal out of suffering and death. On this day, I get a special excuse to help more people literally wear this promise on their skin. So, meet me on Ash Wednesday, or visit your local pastor, priest or congregation.
May the glistening ashes remind you of the mysterious and majestic power of God. Amen.
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