This year, Ash Wednesday will fall on February 22, 2023. This day has long been observed by believers around the world as the beginning of Lent, which is the season that leads up to Easter. While we are fully aware of what Easter is about and the opportunity that it gives us to celebrate the fact that we serve a risen Savior, it’s also a good idea to make sure that you understand the importance of the days that lead up to Easter.
It’s important to understand that not every local church observes Ash Wednesday. Historically, the day is generally observed by members of the Catholic Church, but there are other denominations who take part in the day.
If you are a new believer or you attend a church that doesn’t observe Ash Wednesday, you may have some questions about the day, what it means, and how to observe it. Moreover, you may wonder if it’s something that you need to observe. Today, discover more about Ash Wednesday, what it is about, and how you can observe it even if you attend a local church that does not put any emphasis on this day.
A Brief History of Ash Wednesday
Ash Wednesday is observed six and a half weeks before Easter, making it the beginning of the Lenten season. Ash Wednesday will always fall somewhere between February 4 and March 11, depending on the day on which Easter falls each year.
Historically, Ash Wednesday can be traced back to the 11th century. The earliest observances of Ash Wednesday focused on people who had been excommunicated from the Roman Catholic Church, and were so committed to being restored to the local congregation and the Church as a whole, that they would publicly acknowledge their sin by wearing a cross made of ashes on their forehead. At the end of that six week period, on Easter, the people who had committed to observe Ash Wednesday and Lent would be restored to the Church.
The use of ashes in public worship and repentance dates back to some of the earliest books of the Old Testament. Take a look at this passage from the Book of Numbers:
Numbers 19:9 (NIV)
“A man who is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer and put them in a ceremonially clean place outside the camp. They are to be kept by the Israelite community for use in the water of cleaning; it is for purification from sin.”
Obviously, we understand today that the only way for us to be cleansed from the guilt of our sin is through the blood of Christ, but there are still multiple examples of symbolism within the Church. Ash Wednesday’s use of ashes is simply another example of that.
Over the years, many protestant denominations started observing Ash Wednesday themselves. While those churches didn’t have formal excommunication proceedings like the Roman Catholic Church did at the time, they chose to observe Ash Wednesday as a means of general repentance and spiritual reflection leading up to Easter. By and large, that is what Ash Wednesday is about today.
Does the Bible Say to Observe Ash Wednesday?
One of the most common questions that people ask about Ash Wednesday revolves around the Biblical mandate to observe it. In the name of total transparency, there is no Biblical mandate to observe Ash Wednesday. Remember, the holiday was instituted somewhere around the 11th century, hundreds of year after the end of Biblical history.
While Ash Wednesday is never explicitly discussed in Scripture, we’ve already established that there are verses that involve the use of ashes in ceremonies that focus on repentance. While we looked at a single verse from Numbers, there are other examples to be found in Daniel, Jonah, Matthew, Luke, and Hebrews.
While there is no direct command to observe Ash Wednesday in the Bible, that does not mean that the day should not be observed. After all, there is no explicit command in the Bible that tells us to celebrate Christ’s birth on Christmas. There is also no direct command to celebrate Easter as the observance of His miraculous resurrection. We observe those days because we understand that they have great spiritual implications. The same could be said about Ash Wednesday.
Is It Wrong to Not Observe Ash Wednesday?
Since Ash Wednesday is not discussed directly in Scripture, people who do not observe the day are not sinning. If you attend a local church that does not observe Ash Wednesday, it does not mean that your pastor and other church leaders are operating in error. There are billions of God-fearing, Jesus-loving Christians around the globe who simply don’t take part in Ash Wednesday celebrations.
The decision to take part in Ash Wednesday is an incredibly personal one. Churches who do offer Ash Wednesday services don’t force congregants to participate. Instead, Ash Wednesday is viewed as an opportunity for those who wish to do so to take careful inventory of their own lives while they prepare their hearts for the Easter celebration that is roughly 40 days away.
How Can I Observe Ash Wednesday?
If you wish to observe Ash Wednesday, you likely have some options available to you. Obviously, if you regularly attend a church that observes it, you can simply go to your church on February 22 and have the priest, pastor, or church leader who is overseeing the day’s events guide you through the process. However, if you don’t attend a church that offers Ash Wednesday services, there are still options available to you.
First of all, you can go to a church that is observing Ash Wednesday and, in most cases, the leadership of that church will guide you through the process. While they will likely ask you if you have a relationship with Christ, that is only to make sure that they are administering the sacraments associated with Ash Wednesday to a believer.
However, you can also take part in Ash Wednesday on your own or with your family in your own home. While this may not be an “official” church stance on the topic, the spirit behind Ash Wednesday is a spirit of repentance. The spirit behind the Lenten season is a spirit of self-reflection, ensuring that we are living up to God’s standard of holiness, and preparing ourselves to celebrate the resurrection of our Savior, Jesus Christ.
Perhaps you don’t attend a church that observes Ash Wednesday, and you don’t feel particularly comfortable with the idea of approaching a church leader you do not know about taking part. Maybe you’re not quite comfortable with the idea of wearing a cross made of ashes on your forehead. While that’s a part of traditional Ash Wednesday observances, you can still observe the spirit of the day without it.
On Ash Wednesday, spend some time reflecting on your life and ask yourself some tough questions. Are there any sinful behaviors that you haven’t repented of? Are you holding onto any ungodly thoughts and feelings that are driving a wedge between you and your Heavenly Father? If so, ask God to not only forgive you, but to help you make the changes you need to make so you can be the disciple you were called to be.
A Closing Prayer:
Heavenly Father, as I observe this Ash Wednesday, reveal any things in my life that are coming between You and I. Help me to make the changes I need to make so I can be the person that You want me to be. Thank You for what this season is truly about as we prepare to celebrate the resurrection of Your Son. In Christ’s name I pray, Amen.