The following is an abbreviated version of an Ash Wednesday reflection offered here.
Have you ever wondered why on the day when many Christians make a very public display of their religion is the same day that we read Jesus, who on the Sermon on the Mount says:
‘Beware of practicing your piety before others in order to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven.
‘So whenever you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be praised by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your alms may be done in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.*
‘And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
‘And whenever you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces so as to show others that they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that your fasting may be seen not by others but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
So what gives? Why not be showy unless it is Ash Wednesday?
Notice that Jesus speaks of three practices: fasting, praying and almsgiving. In each of these practices he speaks of a poor model and a better model. The poor model is that of the religious authorities while the better model is what he (Jesus) does. The invitation is not to abandon these practices but to model your practices from Jesus and not the hypocrites.
The invitation to model Jesus in our fasting, praying and giving is really just the beginning. And really among the easiest things to do as followers of Jesus.
Ashes on our heads on this day is not for show but the vow, promise, desire that we would model our lives after Jesus not just in the easy practices (fasting, praying and giving) but in the more difficult practice of Jesus: obedience.
As it is said of Jesus in Philippians 2:
who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness.
And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death— even death on a cross.
The ashes on our heads are the hope that we too would imitate Christ not just in our fasting, praying and giving but in our divestment of power and control. In our obedience - even to the point of giving ourselves away. That we would take up the cross.
The ashes are the invitation to imitate Christ’s life, death and resurrection.
In this light, I less sure that ashes are very showy.
