Lamenting No Ashes
The White Church is hosting Ash Wednesday this year. Last year Ash Wednesday was held at the Brown Church, which does use ashes. Evelyn enjoyed that service, especially receiving the ashes at the altar along with everyone else. (You have to realize that this was a big deal to her since when she comes with me up to the altar for the Eucharist, she does not get to do what everyone else is doing. I think she was really more excited about that, than about the ashes themselves.) Read last year's post.
It is the White Church's tradition to not use ashes on Ash Wednesday. So as I had talked to the kids ahead of time last year about receiving ashes, this year I talked to Evelyn about not having ashes on Ash Wednesday. When I told Evelyn that we weren't going to have ashes, she said in a mixture of sadness and surprise, "Oh, no!". Her face held the same expression as it does when she's skeptical, almost as though she was waiting for the punch line. When it didn't come, her swift mind raced to Palm Sunday. "Well, I'll have palms..." , and she quickly turned the conversation to how much she liked palms and danced around like she was waving imaginary branches about in the air. All the while she looked at me hopefully, waiting for me to tell her that she really would have palms. (She uses the same tactic of describing how much she likes something and how good it is when she is trying to convince us to give her something she wants, be it a toy, candy, or - it seems - palm branches.) When I confirmed her belief, she was relieved - it was a relief that betrayed the broken heart and tears she was saving in check for being told there would be no palms. In an instant she had summed up that Ash Wednesday has Ashes, Palm Sunday has Palms - if Ash Wednesday does not have Ashes, then Palm Sunday must not have Palms, though she couldn't bring herself to believe it.
It is the White Church's tradition to not use ashes on Ash Wednesday. So as I had talked to the kids ahead of time last year about receiving ashes, this year I talked to Evelyn about not having ashes on Ash Wednesday. When I told Evelyn that we weren't going to have ashes, she said in a mixture of sadness and surprise, "Oh, no!". Her face held the same expression as it does when she's skeptical, almost as though she was waiting for the punch line. When it didn't come, her swift mind raced to Palm Sunday. "Well, I'll have palms..." , and she quickly turned the conversation to how much she liked palms and danced around like she was waving imaginary branches about in the air. All the while she looked at me hopefully, waiting for me to tell her that she really would have palms. (She uses the same tactic of describing how much she likes something and how good it is when she is trying to convince us to give her something she wants, be it a toy, candy, or - it seems - palm branches.) When I confirmed her belief, she was relieved - it was a relief that betrayed the broken heart and tears she was saving in check for being told there would be no palms. In an instant she had summed up that Ash Wednesday has Ashes, Palm Sunday has Palms - if Ash Wednesday does not have Ashes, then Palm Sunday must not have Palms, though she couldn't bring herself to believe it.
Comments
I loved getting ashes, too--when I was a child and even as an adult! In fact, I once was traveling in Canada on Ash Wednesday and I called all over Kitchner, Cambridge and the surrounding area trying to find a Lutheran Church that offered the imposition of ashes. I finally found one in Waterloo (Messiah)...hands down the best Lutheran Ash Wednesday service I ever attended. My Baptist co-worker loved it too.
At the time I thought I was searching for the traditional Lutheran Ash Wednesday service but later was told the imposition of ashes was actually only newly introduced in the Lutheran churches. I don't know if that is accurate or not. I suspect your husband would know.
What I find quite interesting is Emily's connection between ashes and palms...especially since the ashes are from burning the prior year's palms! She's a sharp one.
Here is a link if you want to read what he had to say about Ash Wednesday last year - part of it addresses your question.
http://paredwka.blogspot.com/2007/03/ash-wednesday-imposing-no-blessing.html
(Just realized I can't make that a link or it will open in this pop-up window - you'll have to c&p it.)
Didn't realize it was optional, I guess.
The first time I ever saw ashes done in the Lutheran church was when my former Lutheran pastor brought the practice with him about 6 years ago. (That doesn't necessarily mean he was liturgically pure of heart...he got "creative" with the liturgy on Sundays and even wrote his own unique service for his midweek contemporary Communion services.)
Emily, thanks for the link to your husband's discussion of Ash Wednesday practice in Lutheranism. I enjoyed that very much. I thought it was interesting that the TLH and LW didn't have rites for the imposition of ashes. Made me wonder where the pastor in Waterloo, Ontario, got his...as this was pre-LSB.
See what you started, Emily? Two Orthodox women yacking about the Imposition of Ashes, which we don't even do at church!