“Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover them, and not to hide yourself from your own kin?” (Isaiah 58:6-7)
It took me a long time to come to appreciate Ash Wednesday. When I was a boy, attending Denkman Elementary School in Rock Island, Illinois, my Catholic classmates would one day show up with this black smudge on their foreheads. Then, two days later, when they went through the lunch line, they would all take the fish. I didn’t have to worry about that because I brought my own lunch in a brown sack and the only thing I had to worry about was whether it was peanut butter with grape jelly or strawberry jam (both of which would have been acceptable Lenten alternatives looking back). When I moved to Olivet, Michigan in 6
th
grade, there was no Catholic church in town and the Congregational Church that we attended did not have Ash Wednesday services, so I forgot about those black smudges. However, when we moved to Mt. Pleasant, Iowa when I was in 8
th
grade, I had many classmates that attended St. Alphonsus Catholic Church. And, in my Confirmation class, I finally learned what Ash Wednesday was about. Even so, First UMC in Mt. Pleasant did not have any Ash Wednesday services while I attended there.
It wasn’t until the 1980's, when I was teaching in Oskaloosa, that Pastor Lanny Tuttle had the first Ash Wednesday service in which I participated. I can still remember going up front for the first time to have ashes imposed on my own forehead. Lanny’s hands always shook and he had some trouble getting the ashes on his finger, but when he pressed that finger against my forehead, I remember feeling the true presence of God, and I began to really appreciate the importance of Ash Wednesday.
Now, as a full-time pastor, I always offer Ash Wednesday services in my parish. However, I have always struggled with the lectionary readings for Ash Wednesday. The very first verse of the Gospel reading is:
"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.” (Matthew 6:1) And yet, what will we do later in the service? We’ll put a cross of ashes on the forehead so that all can see just how pious we are.
Because of this, I’ve often preached on Joel, or Psalm 51, or 2 Corinthians. However, this year, I’ve decided to ask the question – “What does God really want?” Does God really need me to have a black smudge on my forehead? Probably not, but my own experience speaks to how meaningful the imposition of that smudge can be. However, the alternative reading from the Hebrew Scriptures does tell us what God truly desires – “. . . to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? . . . to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover them . . .” This is the kind of piety that I hear Jesus calling us to as well.
Lent is often a time to give up something. When I taught my students would often give up chocolate or caffeine and let everyone know just how much of a sacrifice that was. This year I have encouraged my parishioners to
take up
something during Lent. In fact, I encouraged them both to
give up
something, and to
take up
something. The following was published in the
Joyful Noise
letter for March/April, 2020 p. 7.
“Rev. James A. Gillespie, a retired Presbyterian minister in Charlerio, PA, suggested a list things to fast from and to feast on during Lent:
$ Fast from gossip/Feast on the Gospels
$ Fast from junk foods/Feast on the Bread of Life
$ Fast from bad news/Feast on “The Good News”
$ Fast from darkness/Feast on the Light
$ Fast from the secular/Feast on the sacred
$ Fast from despair/Feast on hope
$ Fast from revenge/Feast on forgiveness
$ Fast from tears of sorrow/Feast on tears of joy
$ Fast from getting/Feast on giving
$ Fast from complexities/Feast on simplicities
$ Fast from horror/Feast on humor
$ Fast from listlessness/Feast on laughter
So, this year as we impose ashes and have ashes imposed, let us truly ask – What does God want in my life? How can I loose the bonds of injustice, feed the poor, and clothe the naked? What do I need to fast from? What do I need to feast on?
God of Grace, we thank you for your love that acts in our lives. Help us to fast from those things that pull us away from you, and to feast on those things that will draw us ever closer to you. We pray in Christ’s holy name. Amen.
Note: Bill Cotton has been in the hospital recently. In his absence Paul Burrow has written this MEMO. Paul is the Senior Pastor at Perry/Minburn/Rippey/Fairview United Methodist Churches.