This Wednesday, February 18th, is Ash Wednesday. Ash Wednesday marks the start of the Lenten season which extends 40 days (excluding Sundays) leading up to Easter Sunday (April 5, 2026). This period of fasting and reflection is reminiscent of Matthew 4:1-11 where Jesus spends forty days and forty nights in the wilderness after His baptism in the Jordan River.
Whether you've attended an Ash Wednesday service before or not, you may have some questions like: why is it called Ash Wednesday? Why do we mark our foreheads with ashes? Why is this day important?
Whether you've attended an Ash Wednesday service before or not, you may have some questions like: why is it called Ash Wednesday? Why do we mark our foreheads with ashes? Why is this day important?
Why is it called Ash Wednesday?
Ash Wednesday gets its name from the fact that, on this day, Christians mark their heads with ashes in the sign of the cross.
In Genesis 2:7, God creates man out of the dust of the Earth. Later on, in Genesis 3:19, God tells the first humans "you are dust, and to dust you shall return." Occasionally, the Hebrew word for "dust" is translated as "ashes."
In Genesis 2:7, God creates man out of the dust of the Earth. Later on, in Genesis 3:19, God tells the first humans "you are dust, and to dust you shall return." Occasionally, the Hebrew word for "dust" is translated as "ashes."
"On Ash Wednesday, we confront our sin. We recognize our inability to live up to all God has created us to be, and our need to be forgiven. No matter how far we have come in our spiritual journeys, each of us has sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23)." - Joe Iovino
Why do we mark our foreheads with ashes?
In the ancient world, people marked themselves with ashes as a way of expressing repentance and mourning their sin (ex: Hebrews 9:13, Jonah 3:6, Matthew 11:21, Joel 2:12-13). In a similar way, we mark our foreheads with ashes as a recognition of our humanity, our mortality, and our need for repentance and God's grace, mercy and forgiveness.
One could say that receiving the imposition of ashes is an outward expression of an inward faith. We openly acknowledge that we all fall short of what God created us to be, but we also acknowledge that new life is coming on Easter when Jesus Christ defeats death by His resurrection.
One could say that receiving the imposition of ashes is an outward expression of an inward faith. We openly acknowledge that we all fall short of what God created us to be, but we also acknowledge that new life is coming on Easter when Jesus Christ defeats death by His resurrection.
"The palms waved the previous Palm Sunday to welcome Jesus as our King, are burned to form the ashes. In a sense, they serve as a reminder of how far we fall short of living up to the glory of Christ."
- Joe Iovino
- Joe Iovino
Why is Ash Wednesday Important?
The season of Lent is an important time of reflection and repentance in the Church. Ash Wednesday is an integral part of preparing us for Lent by reminding us of our humanity, and therefore, our mortality. We are reminded that only through Jesus Christ have we been redeemed, and apart from Christ we have nothing.
When we receive ashes, we are told "You are dust, and to dust you shall return," but then we also hear, "Repent, and believe the Gospel." Ash Wednesday invites us into a season of true reflection — to analyze where we have fallen short of God's glory and Jesus' call for our lives. Have we lived up to our calling? From this somber place of reflection, from these ashes, comes the resurrected Jesus who paves the way to eternal life.
When we receive ashes, we are told "You are dust, and to dust you shall return," but then we also hear, "Repent, and believe the Gospel." Ash Wednesday invites us into a season of true reflection — to analyze where we have fallen short of God's glory and Jesus' call for our lives. Have we lived up to our calling? From this somber place of reflection, from these ashes, comes the resurrected Jesus who paves the way to eternal life.
Join us for our Ash Wednesday Service
This Ash Wednesday, we want to invite you to join us for a light meal of soup & sandwiches from 5:00-6:15pm in the Family Center, and then join us at 6:30pm in the Sanctuary for our Ash Wednesday service.
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