Ash Wednesday

Why do so many think that Ash Wednesday is so strange? Ok so we have crosses put on our forehead with ashes... It may sound weird but if you take the time to understand why it is done then it makes perfect sense!

Ash Wednesday is in a sense the beginning of the season of lent. This service usually takes place the Wednesday before the first Sunday of Lent.

So we get ashes put on our forehead in the shape of a cross.. But do you know why? The ashes used are often the ashes of burnt palm branches from the year before but our church tends to do it a little differently sometimes which I think is awesome! We will have the children and youth of the church wrote down a sin, something they want forgiveness for, and then we burn them to show the kids that their sins have been forgiven and those are the ashes we use.

Now for why we do this placement of the ashes in the shape of a cross, it is sacramental (now don't get me confused with saying it is a "sacrament"). It symbolizes our mourning of Christ's death to come. Most of the time the ashes are mixed with a little but of water or olive oil to help the ashes adhere to the forehead.

As the pastor places the ashes on the forehead Genesis 3:19 is often recited "from dust you came and to dust you shall return".


So once you look at the background and the meaning behind Ash Wednesday it has a lot of meaning and history behind it.

Don't knock it 'till you try it ;-)