Sunday's Palms Are Wednesday's Ashes
Text: Rae E. Whitney
Tune: BEACH SPRING attr. to B.F. White
Click the link to listen:
During the 6 weeks before Easter, the Christian church traditionally observes the season of Lent. In the early church, the 40 days (plus 6 Sundays) before Easter were a time when new converts to Christianity prepared for their baptism. Others used this time to repent, and renew their faith in Christ. Some ways in which people have done this over the years are prayer, fasting and self-denial and reading and meditating on the Word of God.
Today I'm kicking off a Lent series here on the Tattered Hymnal. If you're new to the blog, I usually start with a hymn, spend some time meditating on it, recording it, and then writing something about it. I hope you're encouraged as you listen and read along.
I learned something interesting last year on Ash Wednesday that I somehow missed all the years before. Did you know that if you get a cross of ashes on your forehead today, the ashes are from the burnt leaves of Palm Sunday? I love stuff like this, so I saved the palm branch my daughter waved in church last year, and let it dry for several weeks. Then, I took it out on the front step and burned it.
Sunday's Palms
Wednesday's Ashes
We won't have a chance to attend an Ash Wednesday service this year, so we had our own at home this morning. It was kind of chaotic. The kids were running/crawling in circles around the room while we read Bible verses and tried to explain what today is all about. I'm sure they don't understand why we put crosses on our foreheads, but this crazy attempt at a Henkle Ash Wednesday observation was a chance for me to consider what this season might mean for me and my family this year.
Raya putting a cross on Daddy's forehead
Lent is not about behavior modification or mustering up enough will power to finally be a better person. Even though I do plan to give something up and add a special prayer time into my day, Lent is not about what we do to change ourselves. It's about surrendering our lives to God who is the only one who can bring about real change in our lives. One of the readings you might hear at Ash Wednesday services today is from Joel 2:12...
"Yet even now," declares the Lord,
"return to me with all your heart,
with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;
and rend your hearts and not your garments."
Return to the Lord your God,
for he is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love;
and he relents over disaster.
The hymn for today is perfect for Ash Wednesday. It's actually one of those very specific hymns that's really only appropriate for Ash Wednesday. As we name the ways we have sinned against God and each other, we bring them out into the light. We ask for forgiveness, and we come to the only one who can grant it. The cross of ashes on our foreheads brings us back from self-reliance and self-righteousness and reminds us that God is the giver of life and the source of all mercy, grace and forgiveness.
And on another note, I am really excited about this series because I've asked some friends to help me with some guest posts. If you're not already following this blog, you might want to start now so you don't miss the great things they will contribute in the next 6 weeks!
