Ash Wednesday is one of my favorite days of the Christian Year. I feel that it is a day in which we can actually claim the fact that we all sin, that we all are broken, and that we all fall short of the perfection of God. For me as well, it is a day when the claims made that Christians are "Good" and must be of some sort of Dana Carvey-esque (Saturday Night Live Reference for all you people under 23) "Churchlady" are broken open. It is a day when we can claim that we are sinners, that we have darkness, that we are low at times, when we don't need to be happy, perfect, well-adjusted little campers. It is a day when we can claim the fact that our very lives are dependent upon God's gift to us, that we are flawed creatures that somehow find ways (sometimes) to let God's light shine in the work we do, and in the things we say.
I really loved reading Steve's reflection (below) about Ash Wednesday, and whether we should wear our ashes as a sign of our witness to our God, and to our faith. Or, whether we should wipe off the ashes so that we don't try to trumpet our own piety (or our sorry attempts at it!). I feel like our wills are probably flawed and so I say that whichever makes us most uncomfortable we should probably do. For me, as a recovering knee-jerk theological liberal it is probably good for me to smear some ashes on my head every day (of Lent, and beyond) and to wear a big old cross....for others who might desire to show their piety, and for whom witness and mission come easily, perhaps for them wiping it off will work best.
But, what do I know really? Nada.
1 comment:
splendiforous! I think you may be onto something with the "whichever is more difficult, do it" concept. Having been ashed twice yesterday and then heading to an indian restaurant with a big dot on my head, I went with witness over fear of arrogant piety.
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