For You Are Dust and to Dust You Shall Return

Last night, we had our Ash Wednesday service. It was a powerful and important start to Lent. I offered ashes to those who wanted them before and after the service in my office. For me personally, to not have ashes on Ash Wednesday was to miss something important. I grew up as a pastor's kid. My dad, a Lutheran pastor, always used the imposition of ashes. So, I got used to it. In the minds of many, the imposition of ashes are "too Roman." That is unfortunate because there are numerous things that we share in common, especially when it comes to worship practices, with our Roman brothers, i.e. the Liturgy, vestments, church architecture, Communion ware, just to name a few. Receiving ashes is not mandatory; but, I believe that those who received them were reminded in a powerful way that, "they are dust and to dust they shall return." We are mortal and will one day turn to ashes; and yet, on the Last Day, Christ will come and raise those ashes to be a glorified body. God bless.