It is certainly true that the words “Ash Wednesday” do not appear in the Bible. So why do Christians throughout the world celebrate it as a day of religious significance? The name “Ash Wednesday” is derived from the custom of placing ashes on believers’ foreheads in the shape of a cross. The ashes come from the burning of Palm crosses which were distributed to worshippers on Palm Sunday, the previous year. Ash Wednesday begins the season of Lent in many churches throughout the world, and services held on that day have the theme of repentance and absolution.
In these services worshippers are urged to reflect on their own mortality and their failure to perfectly obey God’s commandments, and to come humbly before Him, confessing their sins and asking Him for His forgiveness.
For example, the Anglican Church in Australia has a suggested service in which the following words are used. [NOTE 1]
THE RECEIVING OF ASHES
The ashes are placed on the Lord’s Table, and the priest says
Blessed are you, God of all creation.
You are eternal,
we are mortal,
formed from the dust of the earth.
As we receive these ashes, make them a sign for us of repentance and returning to you.
Breathe into us again the breath of life.
Blessed be God for ever.
Come, receive the sign of ashes
The ashes are placed on each person’s forehead in silence, or with the words
Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return.
and/or
Repent and believe the gospel.
and/or
Turn away from sin and be faithful to Christ.
Each person may answer Amen
The reference to dust [or ashes] comes from God’s declaration to humans when they had disobeyed His commandment not to eat of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. His declaration was, “By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” Genesis 3:19.
A little later in the service, an Absolution is pronounced by the priest,
The priest pronounces the absolution
With our hearts turned to God in repentance, with the knowledge of our sins
laid bare before the cross of Jesus Christ,
in the name of the living God,
your sins are forgiven.
Receive God’s mercy,
take hold of your forgiveness,
and, in the power of the Holy Spirit, walk in the light of Christ. Amen.
Ash Wednesday has been traditionally observed in churches since the 11th century and begins the season of Lent. It has often been suggested as a time for penitence or reflecting on our failures and coming before God to seek His forgiveness.
Praise God for His faithfulness and mercy towards those who come to Him in humility and repentance, as Micah wrote, “Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love. 19 He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities underfoot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.” Micah 7:18-19
—————————————————————————————————————————-
[NOTE 1.] On this link https://anglican.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Ash-Wednesday.pdf
Blog No.527 posted on Tuesday 13 February 2024
About Jim Holbeck
Once an Industrial Chemist working for the Queensland Government but later an Anglican minister in Brisbane, Armidale and Sydney. Last position for eighteen years before retirement in 2006 was as the Leader of the Healing Ministry at St Andrew's Cathedral Sydney.
holbeck 
527. What Is The Origin And Significance Of Ash Wednesday?
It is certainly true that the words “Ash Wednesday” do not appear in the Bible. So why do Christians throughout the world celebrate it as a day of religious significance? The name “Ash Wednesday” is derived from the custom of placing ashes on believers’ foreheads in the shape of a cross. The ashes come from the burning of Palm crosses which were distributed to worshippers on Palm Sunday, the previous year. Ash Wednesday begins the season of Lent in many churches throughout the world, and services held on that day have the theme of repentance and absolution.
In these services worshippers are urged to reflect on their own mortality and their failure to perfectly obey God’s commandments, and to come humbly before Him, confessing their sins and asking Him for His forgiveness.
For example, the Anglican Church in Australia has a suggested service in which the following words are used. [NOTE 1]
THE RECEIVING OF ASHES
The ashes are placed on the Lord’s Table, and the priest says
Blessed are you, God of all creation.
You are eternal,
we are mortal,
formed from the dust of the earth.
As we receive these ashes, make them a sign for us of repentance and returning to you.
Breathe into us again the breath of life.
Blessed be God for ever.
Come, receive the sign of ashes
The ashes are placed on each person’s forehead in silence, or with the words
Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return.
and/or
Repent and believe the gospel.
and/or
Turn away from sin and be faithful to Christ.
Each person may answer Amen
The reference to dust [or ashes] comes from God’s declaration to humans when they had disobeyed His commandment not to eat of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. His declaration was, “By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” Genesis 3:19.
A little later in the service, an Absolution is pronounced by the priest,
The priest pronounces the absolution
With our hearts turned to God in repentance, with the knowledge of our sins
laid bare before the cross of Jesus Christ,
in the name of the living God,
your sins are forgiven.
Receive God’s mercy,
take hold of your forgiveness,
and, in the power of the Holy Spirit, walk in the light of Christ. Amen.
Ash Wednesday has been traditionally observed in churches since the 11th century and begins the season of Lent. It has often been suggested as a time for penitence or reflecting on our failures and coming before God to seek His forgiveness.
Praise God for His faithfulness and mercy towards those who come to Him in humility and repentance, as Micah wrote, “Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love. 19 He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities underfoot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.” Micah 7:18-19
—————————————————————————————————————————-
[NOTE 1.] On this link https://anglican.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Ash-Wednesday.pdf
Blog No.527 posted on Tuesday 13 February 2024
Share this:
Related
About Jim Holbeck
Once an Industrial Chemist working for the Queensland Government but later an Anglican minister in Brisbane, Armidale and Sydney. Last position for eighteen years before retirement in 2006 was as the Leader of the Healing Ministry at St Andrew's Cathedral Sydney.