“Blow the trumpet in Zion; sanctify a fast; call a solemn assembly; gather the people. Sanctify the congregation; assemble the aged; gather the children, even infants at the breast. Let the bridegroom leave his room, and the bride her canopy.” (Joel 2:15-16)
When a Hebrew Prophet makes a proclamation such as Joel does here, you know something important, something life changing is happening. The prophet doesn’t call just the adult males, or the wise, or married couples. He wants everybody and he wants them
to gather NOW: the aged and the infirm; the children including babies at the breast; the bride and groom, right in the middle of the ceremony and honeymoon, to stop what they are doing and show up, right this minute!
This is, the opening reading and proclamation of Ash Wednesday Worship in many Christian communities. A proclamation that calls people to prayer and introspection, that calls us to look at our lives: the good, the bad and the ugly; to recognize our mortality and to repent of our sins and commit to a new beginning of our lives in relationship to God and to our fellow human beings.
Joel reminds us, “even now, says the LORD, return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; rend your hearts and not your clothing. Return to the LORD, your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and relents from punishing. Who knows whether he will not turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind him.” (Joel 2:12-14)
The reading of scripture is followed by the following prayer by the minister:
“Almighty God, you have created us out of the dust of the earth: Grant that these ashes may be to you a sign of our mortality and penitence, that we may remember that it is only by your gracious gift that we are given everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.” (Book of Common Prayer, p. 265)
The ashes are then imposed on those who desire with the following words: “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”
The most powerful experience of this sacrament for me was when I made an Ash Wednesday visit to a family with a four day old new born and imposed ashes on all of them. What a life changing
experience of the presence of God for all of us when I rubbed ashes on the forehead of this beautiful infant, with all the hopes of his parents for the new life in front of him, and told him that he was mortal and would not only live, but would one day die. We were all reminded that whether we live or whether we die, we belong to the Lord and because of that we belong to each other and we are all vital members of God’s Creation
I leave you with a prayer: “Almighty and everlasting God, you hate nothing you have made and forgive the sins of all who are penitent: Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins. . .may obtain of you, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.” (Book of Common Prayer, p. 264)
