Ashes & Quickening Trees

Words for the distribution of ashes, in the 11th-century Canterbury Benedictional 


On that Wednesday, throughout the world,
as it is appointed, priests bless
clean ashes in church, and then lay them
on people's heads, so that they may remember
that they came from earth and will return again to dust,
just as Almighty God said to Adam,
after he had sinned against God's command:
'In labour you shall live and in sweat you shall eat
your bread upon the earth, until you return again
to the same earth from which you came,
for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.'
This is not said about the souls of mankind,
but about their bodies, which moulder to dust,
and shall again on Judgement Day, through the power of our Lord,
rise from the earth, all who ever lived,
just as all trees quicken again in the season of spring
which were deadened by the winter's chill.

I have been somewhat surprised at how important the liturgical year continues to be for me in retirement from pastoral ministry. This is my third post-retirement Ash Wednesday and we've been pondering how to observe it, given that the impending snowstorm will likely keep us from attending the service at our home congregation, which is half an hour away. Lo and behold, we discovered a jar of ashes made from burned palm branches amidst my "holy hardware." Why I kept this defies comprehension considering so much was either tossed or passed on to others. 

The reflection on Lent from the 10th century (above) is a reminder that Ash Wednesday is an ancient observance of the Christian church. It also shows us that even though this has been a sombre ceremony, pointing out that our bodies "moulder to dust," a stark and powerful phrase, we are not beyond hope. Through Christ's power we have a resurrection promise, just as we can anticipate trees quickening in the season of Spring. Monday and Tuesday were very Spring-like, even if today is blustery. 

Hey, the Ash Wednesday psalm, 51, includes one of the few references to snow in the bible, so perhaps today's snowstorm is appropriate. 

You desire truth in the inward being;
    therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart.
7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
    wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
8 Let me hear joy and gladness;
    let the bones that you have crushed rejoice.
9 Hide your face from my sins,
    and blot out all my iniquities.

10 Create in me a clean heart, O God,
    and put a new and right[b] spirit within me.

Psalm 51