Ash Wednesday is also well known as “There is something on your forehead” Wednesday as we proudly head out from the Eucharist into the secular world witnessing to our faith and declaring to the world that we have begun the Lenten fast [even to the point of #ashtag selfies here and here] …. ummmm…. just having heard Jesus tell us
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… 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.
I have known catholic-minded clergy abandon imposing ashes on Ash Wednesday because of the Gospel reading. And it is a regular attack by romaphobes and the usual selectively-biblically-literalists.
In fact there is a tradition quite different to the conspicuous cross of ash on the forehead – it is sprinkling ash on top of the head (see photo at the top and video below). If anyone knows how/when (etc) the ash cross developed – do let us know in the comments.
Rubrics are satisfied (we’ve been reading into them what actually isn’t there):
“The ashes are imposed” Book of Common Prayer (TEC) p265
“marked with ash … imposition of ashes” Common Worship (CofE)
“The Priest places ashes on the head of all those present who come to him” RC Missal
I have updated the Ash Wednesday service in Celebrating Eucharist.
This is a repeat of a previous Ash Wednesday post.
image source and further reflection
I can’t say I know how it started, but I have pointed out in my sermons that this reminder of our mortality gets marked right over the cross that’s already there that was sealed on us in oil at baptism and will be traced in oil at our Maundy Thursday liturgy. Having lived in Rome but attending the Episcopal Church there (I’m a Lutheran so full-communion partnership was helpful), I definitely stood out from my friends who went to local Catholic parishes.
Thanks, Pr Jay. Tell us about this tracing of an oil cross at Maundy Thursday, please. Blessings.
Thanks Bosco, this is interesting. It makes me wonder whether there might be a connection worth making between the sprinkling with ashes at the start of Lent, and the sprinkling with water at the Easter renewal of baptism.
Thanks, Chris. Just as there is a connection between the signing of the cross at baptism and the ash-cross tradition. Blessings.