Devotion - Ash Wednesday

There was a time in the recent history of the Christian faith in which the message of "You are going to burn in Hell!" was so often repeated that the members of the Church felt beaten down and hopeless.  (Maybe that message is still too often repeated in some expressions of the Church.)

In an attempt NOT to be so critical and condemning, many of our congregations have softened their message on such matters.  Which is a good and appropriate thing.

But this approach has its own shortcomings.  What do we do with the feelings and fears, deep within our spirit, of shortcomings and failings?  How do we hear a word of comfort and resolution for those hurts which have wounded our very essence?

This is the injury which Ash Wednesday acknowledges.  Ash Wednesday is the beginning of a season in which we are allowed to bring forth all of our fears and worries and hear God's response.  The intention of the imposition of ashes is not to make us aware of something which we would otherwise ignore so much as it is an invitation from God to bring to the light all those little things which nag us and diminish the life God would have us to live.

Confession is the path to absolution.  And absolution is the way to amend our path and to seek the way which unites us with God, with one another, and with the selves God knows us to be.