Sackcloth and Ashes

 42F and rainy but drizzling not raining at my house. Rain was pouring just after midnight when we opened the door to the upstairs screen porch to enjoy the great sleeping weather. However, to keep the heater from running and the damp chill from filling the rest of the upstairs, we close the door between the bedroom and the hall. When I get up later I close the porch door.

Ash Wednesday. Ashes and Holy Communion at church several times today. 7:30 this morning no sermon. 11:30 noon no sermon, but we are having our regular Bible study with light lunch after. This evening, I don’t remember what time. Fourteen years ago when I went to be the rector at Grace Church, they started every evening event at 5:45 to make it easy for everyone to remember, and I think they still do.

Ashes? Its origin as church tradition is lost to history but ashes and sackcloth is biblical as a sign of repentance for sin, or to signify misery. We come to church this first day of Lent and the priest smudges ashes on our foreheads and says, “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” In my growing up years the Roman Catholics did it but we did not. It came to the Episcopal Church liturgically with the 1976 introduction of the revised Book of Common Prayer. 

OK, I see. http://holy-nativity.org/ . Our HNEC website says the evening service is 6:00 p.m. Music, sermon, choir.

Most people seem to keep their ashes on all day to signify. To me, that is disobedient to the gospel for the day, Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21 where Jesus says don't be like the Pharisees who dirty their faces to show everyone their piety. "WASH YOUR FACE" Jesus says. 

TW+