Okay. I admit it the Ash Wednesday service gives me the heebie, jeebies. Being reminded that I am dust, and will soon return to dust is not my idea of an uplifting message. Confessing my dislike for the service once, I was gently reminded that what I was doing was beginning my Lenten journey already wanting to control the experience. Ash Wednesday’s message says Lent begins with a clear acknowledgement of our failures and sins, and when I close my ears to the harshness of the language, deny it applies to me, or inwardly tone-down my regret and confession I lose the heart of Ash Wednesday.
The heart of the Ash Wednesday message is that this day is day one, the beginning, the start of a journey to the heart of God. Ash Wednesday says don’t start the journey with a lie — that we are free from sin, that we are not mortal, that we are not afraid. The heart of Ash Wednesday says begin the journey seeing oneself as God see us — fragile, mortal, sinful, and not worthy of God’s love. Yet despite all our shortcoming we are precious in the sight of God and loved unconditionally.
God says this Ash Wednesday, “Rise and let’s begin our journey together with no secrets or misunderstandings between us.”
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