Ashes on forehead

[Edial]

Today is the Ash Wednesday.

I noticed that some Lutherans in my congregation declined having ashes on their foreheads.

Why is that?

Thanks,
Ed

[dinkime]

my congregation does not do them at all -- what is the purpose of doing the ashes in the first place?

[Edial]

my congregation does not do them at all -- what is the purpose of doing the ashes in the first place?
I just Googled and found this ...

Ash Wednesday
http://www.lcms.org/graphics/blank.gif http://www.lcms.org/graphics/blank.gifQ. Would you please explain the significance of Ash Wednesday. I've seen some people in the past with black ash crosses on their foreheads
A. Lutheran Worship: History and Practice, the recent commentary on Lutheran Worship, one of our Synod's hymnals, says this about ashes on Ash Wednesday: "Other customs may be used, particularly the imposition of ashes on those who wish it. This ancient act is a gesture of repentance and a powerful reminder about the meaning of the day. Ashes can symbolize dust-to-dustness and remind worshipers of the need for cleansing, scrubbing and purifying. If they are applied during an act of kneeling, the very posture of defeat and submission expresses humility before God."
The use of ashes on Ash Wednesday is a more recent custom among most LCMS congregations, although some have done it for decades. The ashes are usually derived from the burned palms from the previous Palm Sunday. Experience will show, however, that in obtaining ashes this way, it doesn't take many ashes to "ash" a whole congregation. Like sin, they are very dirty and go a long way. One palm leaf will produce enough ashes for several years.
Usually the pastor takes the ashes on the end of his thumb and makes the sign of the cross on the forehead of each worshiper, saying these words: "Remember: you are dust, and to dust you shall return." This follows most effectively prior (or as part of) the Service Corporate Confession and Absolution on pp. 308-309 of Lutheran Worship.

http://www.lcms.org/pages/internal.asp?NavID=3904

Thanks,
Ed

[dinkime]

interesting, i had never heard of or seen a Lutheran congregation (of any of the synods by me) do ashes...

[DaRev]

Ashes are an ancient sign of repentance. The season of Lent, which begins on Ash Wednesday is the season of repentance. The use of ashes signifies an outward act of repentance. Job repented in "dust and ashes" in Job 42:6.
Ashes are also a symbol of insignificance. Abraham referred to himself as "nothing but dust and ashes" while pleading with the Lord for the righteous in Sodom and Gomorrah.
When we receive the ash cross on our forehead, we are making the statement that we are lowly sinners who have come before the Lord in humility and repentance. Normally during the Ash Wednesday service, the imposition of ashes is immediately followed by confession and absolution.
In our service today and tonight, we recited the Litany prior to the imposition of ashes, and then continued with LSB Divine Service 1.

[porterross]

Did you have a good turnout, Rev?

[IowaLutheran]

My congregation does the imposition of ashes, and I believe that some other ELCA congregations in the area do as well; I cannot speak for the LCMS congregations.

[porterross]

My church doesn't, but I wish they did.
We didn't get to attend services tonight because of my daughter's basketball commitment.

[DaSeminarian]

The Imposition of Ashes is an adiaphoron. It is neither prohibited nor commanded by scripture. Luther would have called it a matter of Christian liberty. My wife, who comes from a Baptist background feels that it is too Roman Catholic so she didn't even go to church tonight. My oldest daughter chose not to receive them, but my youngest and I did. In fact, I received them twice today as I went to chapel at the sem and they did them there as well.

It is not a sacrament so anyone can choose to receive them or not.

[QuiltAngel]

My husband has not done the Imposition of Ashes. The two parishes he serves joined with another one in the circuit for Advent and Lenten services. This one does the Imposition of Ashes. Most in attendance go up for it. Our service was the same as DaRev's.

I do appreciate the ashes as it is yet another reminder of the season of the church year we are in.

[Edial]

Are there other reasons that some Lutherans do not participate in this outside of it looking "Roman Catholic"?

To me personally, the process of applying ashes on forehead appears to be a good tradition.

Thanks,
Ed

[KagomeShuko]

St. Paul usually has the imposition of ashes. We didn't have them this time :( Oh well. . .I'm guessing it was just too much for them without a pastor. We got nails to keep throughout Lent, though. My mom said they are going to a nail them into a cross on Good Friday. I didn't hear that part in the announcements.

[mohawk]

Ashes became a sign of remorse, repentance, and mourning. Today someone might wear a black armband to signify that they are in mourning; back then people put ashes on their foreheads.
You can find biblical examples of this in 2 Samuel 13:19, Esther 4:1-3, Job 42:6, and Jeremiah 6:26. During Lent, ancient Christians mourned their sins and repented of them, so it was appropriate for them to show their sincerity by having ashes on their foreheads. The custom has persisted in the church as secular society has changed around us.
It is most appropriate on Ash Wednesday, when we begin a period of sober reflection, self-examination, and spiritual redirection.
Traditionally, the ashes for the Ash Wednesday service come from burning the palm fronds from the previous year’s Palm Sunday celebration.

[ctay]

We did the ashes last night. My mother said the pastor at her church didn't do it last year and he had people coming up to him saying something about it so he was supposed to do it last night.

[ctay]

Oh yeah forgot to add, hubby and son went to church with me last night, they even went up and got the ashes which surprised me. They won't go to church with me much at all, hubby will show up once in a blue moon.

[synger]

Imposition of ashes on Ash Wednesday is an ancient tradition. It's not just Catholic, though up until about 20 years ago it seemed only the Catholics still did it. I've noticed an upswing in other liturgical denominations who do it -- Episcopalian, Presbyterian, Lutheran.

I prefer to begin Ash Wednesday with a service, so I went to an inner-city Episcopalian church near my downtown workplace. There were only about ten of us (the noon service is usually packed on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday). The ashes, and communion, really had me focused on my sinfulness, and my utter dependence upon God. The sermon stayed with me all day. I'm still thinking about it.

That night, we went to our LCMS church. We were running late (you'd think after almost six years we'd give Gem enough time to get ready, but sometimes we just don't wrangle her fast enough) and missed the imposition of ashes. The sermon was on the same verses as the Episcopal sermon had used. And when we got home we talked a bit about it, explaining a bit more to Gem about the season of Lent.

[synger]

Oh, but it always makes me chuckle when I see people with ashes during the workday (and know I'm wearing htem myself) when one of the Scripture verses for Ash Wednesday is the one about fasting and giving in secret, and not making a show of your piety for your own glory.

[KimLCMS]

Our Church is LCMS and we do the ashes. There was a noon time service and an evening service. We missed it because my son and I are both feeling yucky!

[Studeclunker]

I've never had the ashes done myself. My son did a few years ago. The tradition always seemed a bit silly to me, and I must admit, very RC.

About five years ago, I was given, by a friend during Lenten services, a pin. It's tiny crown of thorns that I've worn (when I remember) during lent on my collar. When working, I got a lot of questions about it. That my employer, Greyhound, never insisted that I remove it, never ceased to amaze me. The supervisors asked about it, though they never asked me to remove it. Many customers asked about the pin as well. In this way, many a conversation started with unbelievers. Company policy was such that I had to be very careful what I said and to whom. Still, I hope that some good came of it.

[Jim47]

Are there other reasons that some Lutherans do not participate in this outside of it looking "Roman Catholic"?

To me personally, the process of applying ashes on forehead appears to be a good tradition.

Thanks,
Ed



We have never done ashes in our church. I'm guessing its because it puts the focus on us instead of on Christ. I don't think its wrong to do it, and its also not wrong to not do it, just as Scott said.

[Qoheleth]

The tradition always seemed a bit silly to me, and I must admit, very RC.



We have never done ashes in our church. I'm guessing its because it puts the focus on us instead of on Christ



Ashes are one of the signs of repentance throughout scripture, especially in the OT( Job 42:6, 2 Samuel 13:19, Esther 4:1,3, Isaiah 61:3, Jeremiah 6:26, Ezekiel 27:30, Daniel 9:3 and Matthew 11:21). Many biblical figures rend their clothes, pour ashes over their heads and put on sackcloth. Ashes signify mortality and repentance. Ashes on the forehead are there not to be boastful, but a reminder.

Lent is a time (especially) when we repent and turn from our sinful natures and many "traditions" help us and remind us of this. Our Lord says, "When you fast, pray and give alms...", not if, but when, which signifies the need to do so. Ashes can be and are incorporated into this time.


It is true that the imposition of ashes, like similar external practices, are meaningless, even hypocritical, unless there is a corresponding inner repentance and change of behavior. Isaiah 58:5-7 is clear on this when God says...

"Is this the kind of fast I have chosen, only a day for a man to humble himself? Is it only for bowing one's head like a reed and for lying on sackcloth and ashes ? Is that what you call a fast, a day acceptable to the LORD? 6 "Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? 7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter-- when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?"


Q

[IowaLutheran]

Thanks for posting that, Q. Whenever I hear the words, "Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return", my focus is definitely on God and not on myself because I am reminded of my mortal nature as opposed to the eternal nature of God.

Just a side note: Why is it that the question always seems to be "Is this practice 'too Catholic' for Lutherans"? I think we are under much more danger from practices that are "too American Evangelical Protestant".

[DaRev]

I always welcome and encourage such "catholic" practices. We are, after all, evangelical catholics and not protestants.

[Qoheleth]

Just a side note: Why is it that the question always seems to be "Is this practice 'too Catholic' for Lutherans"? I think we are under much more danger from practices that are "too American Evangelical Protestant".



I believe that Lutheranism was, is, has become a theological system that forgets the life in Christ must be lived in and participated with. The fear of looking "to Catholic" is more of a stubborn, even phobic hold-over from what is believed to be abuses of otherwise good and laudable Christian traditions that edify the Christian life.


Q

[Flipper]

Our church does the ashes, but we get them at the doorway on our way in, before the service starts. I used to be Catholic, so it doesn't bother me either way.

[catwoman2]

My church does it (LCMS).

I like the way Prairie Home Companion put it last Saturday. "In the Catholic Church, the priest puts ashes on your forehead and tells you where you came from and where you're going. If you want another opinion, go to the Lutheran Church." ;)

In a strange way, it's very comforting!

[Tetzel]

Sometimes it is right to ash. Sometimes it is right to refrain from ashing. Just as sometimes it is right to fast and sometimes it is right to break fasting.



The Christian must therefore walk in the middle path, and set
these two classes of men before his eyes. He may meet with
hardened and obstinate ceremonialists, who, like deaf adders,
refuse to listen to the truth of liberty, and cry up, enjoin, and
urge on us their ceremonies, as if they could justify us without
faith. Such were the Jews of old, who would not understand, that
they might act well. These men we must resist, do just the
contrary to what they do, and be bold to give them offence, lest
by this impious notion of theirs they should deceive many along
with themselves. Before the eyes of these men it is expedient to
eat flesh, to break fasts, and to do in behalf of the liberty of
faith things which they hold to be the greatest sins. We must say
of them, "Let them alone; they be blind leaders of the blind"
(Matt. xv. 14). In this way Paul also would not have Titus
circumcised, though these men urged it; and Christ defended the
Apostles, who had plucked ears of corn on the Sabbath day; and
many like instances.

Or else we may meet with simple-minded and ignorant persons, weak
in the faith, as the Apostle calls them, who are as yet unable to
apprehend that liberty of faith, even if willing to do so. These
we must spare, lest they should be offended. We must bear with
their infirmity, till they shall be more fully instructed. For
since these men do not act thus from hardened malice, but only
from weakness of faith, therefore, in order to avoid giving them
offence, we must keep fasts and do other things which they
consider necessary. This is required of us by charity, which
injures no one, but serves all men. It is not the fault of these
persons that they are weak, but that of their pastors, who by the
snares and weapons of their own traditions have brought them into
bondage and wounded their souls when they ought to have been set
free and healed by the teaching of faith and liberty. Thus the
Apostle says, "If meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no
flesh while the world standeth" (1 Cor. viii. 13); and again, "I
know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing
unclean of itself; but to him that esteemeth anything to be
unclean, to him it is unclean. It is evil for that man who eateth
with offence" (Rom. xiv. 14, 20).


The hard part is that we now have two opposing factions to deal with rather than one. We have rigid ritualists who demand the adherence to "Holy Tradition" and we also have rigid people who reject anything that smacks of being "too Catholic" Each of these rigid types also has a corresponding weak believer, who would be shocked at receiving communion without kneeling on one hand, or who would be shocked to kneel before an altar on the other hand. May God help to guide our pastors in their task of navigating the way to treat their flocks with the Christian love that is necessary.

PS: we ashed

[Qoheleth]

We have rigid ritualists who demand the adherence to "Holy Tradition"

I disagree that there is a "demand" for adherence in these matters. Rather I have seen and experienced pastoral guidance and understanding in the reasons why and what for.


May God help to guide our pastors in their task of navigating the way to treat their flocks with the Christian love that is necessary.

I agree


Q