Ash Wednesday

Many Presbyterian congregations will observe Ash Wednesday this week. My friend Sheldon Sorge – an alumnus of the Office of Theology and Worship, now serving as Pastor to Pittsburgh Presbytery – once pointed out this liturgical oddity: that the Ash Wednesday service in the Book of Common Worship includes a confession of sin without a corresponding declaration of forgiveness.

At first we wondered if this might be a misprint. I checked the service books of several other denominations, however, and found sufficient parallels to suggest that this was no accident. After confessing our sin with Psalm 51 and the Litany of Penitence [and then the Imposition of Ashes, in brackets], in the place where one might expect to find an assurance of pardon, there is only this petition:

Accomplish in us, O God, the work of your salvation,
that we may show forth your glory
in the world.
By the cross and passion of our Savior,
bring us with all your saints
to the joy of Christ's resurrection. (BCW, 227)

The prayer points toward Holy Week, to the “cross and passion of our Savior,” and ultimately to the Easter “joy of Christ’s resurrection.” But it only points the way. We walk out of the service still wearing the smudge of sin and death. Still, here is our hope, our joy, our glory: the smudge is in the shape of a cross, the cross of Christ, whose grace redeems us from sin, whose love is stronger than death. Thanks be to God.

Here’s a hymn for Ash Wednesday based on the epistle lesson for the day, 2 Corinthians 5:20b—6:10. The tune is Llangloffan (#291 in the Presbyterian Hymnal). (A note about “long days” in the second stanza: the word “Lent” is derived from an Old English word for spring, which in turn comes from a Germanic root: “to lengthen,” since spring is the time of the year when the days begin to grow longer.)

(1) Seek peace with God our Savior,
through Jesus Christ we pray;
for Christ has won us favor;
our sin is washed away.
We waited for salvation,
and now the time is here.
Make way: the new creation
at last is drawing near.

(2) Through struggle and affliction,
long days and sleepless nights,
hold fast to this conviction:
that God will make things right.
Let wisdom, patience, kindness,
and holiness increase.
The strength of God will save us;
Christ’s presence is our peace.

(3) They say that we are lying,
and yet our hearts are true.
They think that we are dying,
but see — life springs anew!
Our sorrow turns to pleasure,
our poverty is gain.
This thing alone we treasure:
to share God’s holy reign.

© 2009 David Gambrell.

Comments

[Charles Wiley]

Interesting how the confession without forgiveness sums up the classic Reformed argument against celebrating Lent--as if we had to go through extended repentance before receiving forgiveness. As if our very repentance is not the fruit of forgiveness. Interesting.

[David Gambrell]

Charles, the article on Ash Wednesday in the Companion to the Book of Common Worship (Geneva, 2003) provides further illumination on this practice — and, I think, heightens the theological problem you've identified: "Since the time between Ash Wednesday and Maundy Thursday is traditionally a time of penitence, some churches embrace the tradition of not including a declaration of pardon on Ash Wednesday and throughout Lent, until Maundy Thursday" (119). And in the commentary on Maundy Thursday: "For many Christians, the 'penitential season' commences on Ash Wednesday and culminates finally in a great absolution on Maundy Thursday (the custom of reconciling penitents on this day is an ancient practice). Thus Ash Wednesday to Maundy Thursday is kept as a time of penitence, with the long-awaited absolution on Maundy Thursday concluding the Lenten discipline" (129). This is not a practice I would recommend, precisely for the reason you've identified.

I actually think the sign of the cross in ashes is — in a paradoxical way — an embodied or symbolic declaration of pardon. (At least that's what I tried to say in the post above.) It points to the good news of the cross: the good news of what God has already done for us in Jesus Christ.

[Mike Poteet]

I am inclined to agree with Charles. Your point about the ashen cross as a symbolic pardon is taken; however, it seems decidedly un-Reformed to me to have no direct, explicit declaration/assurance of pardon following a confession of sin.

I have similar problems with "burying the Alleluia" as our Lutheran, Anglican, and Catholic brothers and sisters do. They are Sundays *in* Lent, not Sundays *of* Lent, and yes there is a difference!

I am generally all in favor of liturgical ecumenism, but Lent is where I have the most problems in that regard. As a season, it seems far too focused on what we do or don't do.

[David Gambrell]

Mike, I'm glad you joined this discussion. I had been thinking about our previous conversation about Alleluias in Lent as I was writing this. As you note, *every* Sunday (or Lord's Day) is a celebration of Christ's resurrection on the first day of the week. This is an important emphasis of our tradition.

In recent years I have heard of congregations (some of them Presbyterian) focusing on baptismal discipleship in Lent, as Lent was in the early church (and still is, in some places) a time of preparation for Baptism at Easter. I appreciate this new (and ancient) focus — and the way it helps to reframe the Lenten journey as a way of following Christ and responding to what God has done.

[Charles Wiley]

I do think there is a way to emphasize the repentance aspect of Lent while acknowledging that we come to repentance only as a result of grace that draws us to it.

[Sheldon Sorge]

Oddly, I find resonance with my holiness roots in what seems to be a withholding of assurance of pardon until we "prove" our repentance. Is that what Lent is, a season of proving our repentance?

[Charles Wiley]

Sheldon, are [y]our holiness roots leading you toward or away from the truth?

[Jim Latta]

I have been using the Ash Wednesday service from our Book of Common Worship since it was published, but have felt rather uncomfortable with it for the reasons posted above. This year I will be starting a sermon series on the seven words from the cross on Ash Wednesday. "Forgive them" was strongly calling my attentionto precisely the issues being raised in this discussion. After reading your comments, I have adapted the prayer which precedes the imposition of ashes for this year's service as follows (in unison):

"Almighty God, you have created us out of the dust of the earth. May these ashes be for us a not only a sign of our mortality and penitence, but also a reminder that only by your grace are we given everlasting life, through Jesus Christ, our Savior, who personally bore our sins in his body on the cross, that we might be dead to sin, and alive to all that is good, and in whom we are forgiven. To him who loves us and freed us from our sins by his blood be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen."

Also in light of this discussion, I think that instead of "Remember that you are dust" during the impostition, I will reiterate, "Remeber that in Jesus Christ you are forgiven--and be thankful!"

Perhaps something like this can help us to be faithfully Reformed, more helpfully pastoral, and appropriately ecumenical while deepening our faith and practice by more fully mining the riches of the broader, ancient Christian tradition.

[Ann Laird Jones]

Any thoughts on how to do ashes if you don't have palms left from last year?

[Charles Wiley]

Ann,

In Louisville we have a Catholic bookstore that always has things like palm ashes for sale, so I've never had to be more creative. I'm sure other folks may have ideas. Other folks?

Charles

[David Gambrell]

I can tell you what *not* to do. Don't try to make them by burning little slips of paper earlier in the service. Been there, done that, don't recommend it. A member had to drag the ceramic chiminea outside and douse it with a garden hose, in full view of the congregation. The solemnity of the service was seriously compromised.

[David Gambrell]

Thanks, Jim. My colleague Teresa Stricklen is preaching a sermon this morning at the Presbyterian Center titled "Baptized Dust." I suspect the service will have some resonance with the themes you are exploring.

[Jim Latta]

Ann, Cokesbury carries bags of palm ashes. You may be able to find them at other church supply stores. A small bag goes a long way. If you make your own ashes, be careful what you use. The ash of some woods, mixed with water--or sweat--can make lye, which can result in a long-lasting red cross on the forehead which parishoners tend to not appreciate . . . don't ask.

[Mike Poteet]

I like Jim's revised prayer, although I wouldn't drop the "remember that you are dust" altogether. There are biblical texts that could be used to combine the day's emphasis on our mortality as well as the promises of pardon and resurrection. Perhaps something along the lines of, "Remember that you are dust, and to dust you will return; and that they who live and believe in Christ will never die." (Perhaps a bit wordy?)

For what it's worth, I am listening to this week's Choral Evensong on BBC 3. It is decidedly a service for Ash Wednesday -- and the priest pronounces the assurance of forgiveness following the confession. So go forth and forgive boldly today and tonight!

[David Gambrell]

Forgive boldly! I like that.

[Alec Peters]

As I've thought about it, I think the key for the Ash Wednesday liturgy is that it is not fundamentally a liturgy of confession -- it is a liturgy of invitation to confession and repentence, and a start (through Psalm 51 and the Litany of Confession) along that path. Perhaps the Episcopal liturgy shows this a little more clearly with the exhortation/prayer after the Litany, in which the congregation is told: Almighty God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who desires not the death of sinners, . . . has given power and commandment to his ministers to declare and pronounce to his people, being penitent, the absolution and remission of their sins. He pardons and absolves all those who truly repent, and with sincere hearts believe his holy Gospel. . . Therefore we beseech him to grant us true repentance and his Holy Spirit . . . ."

To me it's not a matter of "having" to go through extended repentence before receiving assurance of pardon; it's a matter of being given the opportunity, confident of God's grace, to engage in true and deep self-examination and repentence -- more than one prayer of confession typically allows for. Only then can I truly appreciate and truly respond to the magnitude of God's grace. Frankly, I think I am not alone in needing opportunities for such deeper self-examination and repentence and appreciating communal support for it.

As for "remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return," I would hate not to hear those words. Again, we risk viewing God's grace as cheap unless we understand the extent to which we need it. And as we were reminded in the sermon at the service I attended yesterday, it is the dust of which we are made that is now seated at the right hand of the Father.

[Mike Poteet]

Nicely said, Alec. Thank you.

[Charles Wiley]

Alec,

Echoing Mike--very nicely put.

Charles

[Linda Lee]

Enjoyed the article!

[Sheldon Sorge]

Charles, how about you? Does the holiness background constitute a problem or an asset in moving forward in grasping and living the faith? One thing for sure - the understanding of confession is so different from the Reformed as to be virtually unrecognizable as the same thing, even if the same words are used. The difference in the Reformed confession of sin is that it is offered up within the context of pardon already assured. And that is no small difference - and definitely a move in a theologically positive direction.

[Charles Wiley]

Sheldon,

It is both. In most ways I deeply appreciate what you just articulated. I do think the holiness emphasis on living a holy life sometimes gets lost for us Reformed. I found Alec's take quite helpful.

Charles