Ashes for repentance, ashes for growth

By Jakob Rinderknecht

Special to the Intermountain Catholic

SALT LAKE CITY — On Wednesday, Roman Catholics and other Western Christians around the world will gather to celebrate one of the most recognizable rites of the liturgical year: the imposition of ashes, which marks the beginning of the annual observance of Lent. While there is no similar ritual in the Eastern Churches, Western Christians have been marking the beginning of the 40-day period of fasting, prayer, and almsgiving by which we prepare for Easter with ashes since at least the 8th century.

Ashes are a sign of repentance throughout the Scriptures: many people will remember the story of Jonah, who preached of God’s displeasure to the city of Nineveh. When the king heard, "he rose from his throne, laid aside his robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in the ashes." (Jonah 3:6). Ashes also can tie us back to the story of our creation in Genesis: "Remember that you are dust, and to dust you will return," the priest might say when marking someone’s forehead with ashes. Humans are creatures made from the earth, who will return to it when we die. Ashes are what’s left once the fire has burned out. They are dirty, a sign of our humility before God. In our children’s stories, we remember Cinderella – the girl who worked in the cinders, or ashes. Because she did this dirty, humble work, she was hidden and overlooked by everyone.

But ashes are not only a mark of repentance and humility. They are also a sign of the great things to come. While ashes themselves may be dirty, they are the base ingredient for making soap. In Israel’s law, the ashes of the sacrifice were mixed with water and sprinkled on those who were ritually unclean (Num 19:17-18, Hebrews 9:13). Ashes are also a fertilizer. After forest fires, the ash enriches the soil and promotes future growth.

This week, the Church begins to celebrate her great springtime rites. With 40 days of Lent and 50 days of Easter, they will take up nearly a quarter of the entire year. It is a season of many different festivals, and rituals, but it always begins with ashes: ashes for repentance and the death of the old, ashes for cleanliness and preparation, and ashes for fertilizer as the beginnings of our new life in Christ take root and begin to bear much fruit.