I had to travel to Boston on Ash Wednesday to conduct some business, and while I was walking around the snowbound city I noticed all of the people with ashes on their foreheads. I grew up Roman Catholic and used to make the annual journey at the start of Lent to receive the ashes. “Remember thou art dust and to dust thou will return” or similar words. The ashes are a reminder of our mortality, and this reminder of our death is a good way to start Lent.
But I believe the ashes serve another purpose and one that is missing from Orthodoxy, and that is an outward sign of our faith. We live in a world that is almost void of religious symbols and in my belief this is what the world needs most at this moment in time so for one day, people wear their faith on their foreheads.
Now with that said, I am reminded of the Gospel reading for this day:
Jesus said, “Beware of practicing your piety before others in order to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven. “So whenever you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and the streets so that they may be praised by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your alms may be done in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. “And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. “And whenever you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces so as to show others that they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that your fasting may be seen not by others but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:1-6,16-21
Jesus reminds us not to boast about our faith and our works but just to do them without recognition, and I believe this is important for us to remember at all points of our spiritual life. Ash Wednesday is the day when we share our faith in an outward way. As I was walking along the streets of Boston, and seeing those with ashes on their foreheads, it was a constant reminder of my faith and the start of Lent for me.
I have often said that the best tool we have for evangelism is our lives and how we act. If we are living our Christian faith, then people will notice that. The downside of that is that if we proclaim our Christianity, but then do not live up to what that means, that will also shine like the light in the darkness. Wearing those ashes on our foreheads is fine, but does our life live up to what that means?
So as I was walking around Boston yesterday I was becoming nostalgic for ashes on my forehead and thinking back of my childhood and early adult years and was happy. I miss Ash Wednesday; I miss having the outward reminder of my mortality. I know it is silly but for me it was a happy reminder.
Whether you received ashes yesterday or not, I hope you take the time during this Holy Season to make your life different and get your spiritual life back on track.
