Worship Notes: Imposition of Ashes

Remember that you are dust,

and to dust you will return.

            These words paraphrase Genesis 3:19 where the Lord proclaimed a curse upon man when he had first sinned.  St. Paul repeated that thought in his letter to the Romans: “Sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned.” (Romans 5:12)

            Ashes to ashes.  Dust to dust.  This is the harsh reality of sin.  The use of ashes long pre-dates the New Testament Church.  In the era of the Patriarchs, Job confessed his sin and declared, “I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes” (Job 42:6).  The Imposition of Ashes teaches a dual lesson.

            1)  It is a mark of penitence.  We demonstrate outwardly the sorrow for sin that we have inwardly. 

            2)  It is a mark of death.  It is a reminder that we are all dust, and to dust we will return.  The ashes remind us that we are helpless in our sinful condition.  Our only hope is a Savior.  We repent of our works.  We cling to Jesus for his.

            No one should feel obligated to receive the ashes on the forehead.  If you do not want to do it, the ushers will simply pass you by and go to the next row.  Children may participate at the discretion of their parents.

            We will begin the service with the rite.  Where the bulletin indicates, the ushers will begin to invite people by row to come to the communion railing to receive the ashes.  The penitent will kneel at the railing (like Lord’s Supper), and wait as the pastor applies the ashes to the forehead in the shape of a cross.  Please resist all temptations to scratch or smear the ashes.  (The ashes will easily be washed off with soapy water.)

            This ceremony truly sets the tone for Lenten season.  We are marked as sinners.  We are marked for death.  We are marked as the penitent whose only hope is Jesus Christ. 

            Our comfort comes from Jesus who takes our sin.  He dies our death.  He marks us as his own who have been baptized into his name.  That is where the penitent find comfort.  That is where the dying find life.

A Pastoral Concern regarding Pride Month

Part of the Gospel reading for this Sunday is this: “If anyone loves me, he will hold on to my word. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.  The one who does not love me does not hold on to my words" (John 14:23-24).  

This means that we take the word of God very seriously.  We conform our lives to his word.  We are not permitted to tweak, edit, or recast God's word to conform to our society.  For this, we are called haters, bigots, etc...  Of course, Jesus warned us that we should expect as much from those who do not love him (cf. John 15:18-20).  Since they do not love him, they do not keep his word.

This does not mean that we despise people.  Part of God's word is, "Love your neighbor as yourself."  Unfortunately, that gets spun by many to mean "Accept your neighbor's sins and do not correct him because that would make him feel bad."  

Our Lord gave the church its mission just before he ascended to heaven: "Repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations" (Luke 24:47).  We call sinners to repent.  That's ALL sinners.  All stand guilty before God, and we are to flee from our sins.  If some sins end up getting more attention than others, it likely has to do with how prevalent those sins are.  I could build a sermon around the sin of hiring a hit man to take out a co-worker, but such a sin is pretty rare.  Other sins are more common, such as sins that have an entire month dedicated to their promotion and celebration.  (It should be noted that the Lord condemns pride as a sin in itself.  But pride in one's sins?  That doubles down on sins.)  

Are Christians guilty of being loveless, arrogant, and judgmental?  Sure.  Have they been hypocritical by ignoring their own sexual sins?  Yes.  For these things, Christians need to repent.  But such sins don't cancel out other sins.  All are called to repent.  

In addition to preaching repentance, we preach the forgiveness of sins.  There is forgiveness for all sins (except unbelief, that is, the refusal to love and keep God's word).  There is pardon for the penitent, no matter how egregious one's sins may have been.  Jesus' sufferings and death paid for every sin of every sinner.  Sadly, many don't want forgiveness.  They demand acknowledgement that their actions are good and pure.  We are called on to bless them.  How can we bless what God does not bless?  Romans 1:22-28 has no blessing for unrepentant sinners.

In all this, I find no joy or feelings of superiority over anyone.  If someone is struggling with severe temptations to commit sexual sins, he or she should be shown great mercy and be in our fervent prayers.  But many do not fight these temptations.  They have given way to them.  To see sins embraced is grieving.  To see them flaunted is infuriating as it emboldens more people to defy God's word and despise Jesus.  

I find great joy in assuring sinners that their sins are forgiven.  But God's command is that forgiveness must be withheld from those who insist that their sins are not sins.  Out of love for Jesus and his word, I cannot budge from this command.  And out of love for Jesus and his word, I will also follow his instruction to pray for the salvation of sinners, whoever they are.

Here are a few other thoughts and a resource to add to this pastoral concern.

A Facebook post from a WELS group:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/2204954201/permalink/10165584894094202/?mibextid=rS40aB7S9Ucbxw6v

A short book which also covers this topic: Gay and God by Rev. Mike Novotny of Time of Grace ministries.

Lenten Vespers 2025

LENTEN

VESPERS

 

2025

 

March 5       ASH WEDNESDAY
                        Divine Service with the Imposition of Ashes
                           Rev. Thomas Schroeder, Good Shepherd, Novi

March 12     Revealing Our Sinful Nature. (Psalm 51:5)
                         Rev. James Frey, St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Belleville

March 19      Realizing Our Need for Repentance. (Psalm 51:1-2)
                          Rev. Paul Schaefer, St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, Plymouth

March 26    Recognizing Against Whom We Sin. (Psalm 51:3-4)
                         Rev. Thomas Schroeder, Good Shepherd, Novi

April 2          Restored by His Sacrifice. (Psalm 51:14-17)
                         Rev. James Frey, St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Belleville

April 9          Removing Our Guilt. (Psalm 51:8-9)
                         Rev. Thomas Schroeder, Good Shepherd, Novi

All services for Lenten Vespers are at 7:00 PM.

A supper will be served each Wednesday at 6:00 PM.

The Lenten season

Preparation for the Lenten Season

A Lamb goes uncomplaining forth, our guilt and evil bearing
     And, laden with the sins of earth, none else the burden sharing.
Goes patient on, grows weak and faint 
     To slaughter led without complaint,
          That spotless life to offer,
Bears shame and stripes and wounds and death,
     Anguish and mockery and says,
          “Willing all this I suffer.” (Christian Worship 100:1)

The Lenten season is a 40 day period (not including Sundays) leading up to Easter.  It is a penitential season.  That is why it begins with Ash Wednesday – a powerful reminder that “dust you are, and to dust you will return.” (Genesis 3:19)  Since we are dust and marked for death, we approach our Lord in penitence and humility, seeking his mercy.

One of the ways we may express our penitence is by fasting.  Fasting need not be a total deprivation of food.  Traditionally, Christians would reduce the number of meals they ate from three to two.  Of those two meals, one (usually the later meal) was rather light.  Or you may partake in two rather small meals with a regular sized meal.  Sundays, however, remain feast days.  Fasting, prayer, and the giving of alms go together. (Matthew 6:1-6,16-18)  The time that we give up on feeding our bodies is devoted to prayer and meditation, and the money we would have spent on ourselves would be given to the poor or to a charity.  Though such practices are not mandatory, Luther’s Small Catechism reminds us, “Fasting and other outward preparation may serve a good purpose….” 

The Lenten fast is also experienced in our Divine Services.  During the Lenten season, we will not sing Alleluia or the Gloria in Excelsis (“Glory be to God on high…”).  Flowers are also removed from the altar.  As we continue further into the Lenten season, the fast intensifies and we will notice some omissions from our Services:

These omissions are a fast for our eyes and ears.  Perhaps it will seem awkward to be missing these things, but that is the point.  Lent is a penitential season.  Our celebration is muted.  But this also will highlight the air of celebration on Easter Sunday when all of these sights and sounds return to our worship as we will rejoice in the resurrection of our Lord.

Grant that I your passion view with repentant grieving.
   Let me not bring shame to you by unholy living.
How could I refuse to shun every sinful pleasure
   Since for me God’s only Son suffered without measure? 
(Christian Worship 98:5)

Something from Ambrose (regarding penitence and pride)

          Here is something from Ambrose, bishop of Milan (c. 340 - April 4, 397), regarding the one who seeks repentance.  What strikes me more than anything is the zeal Ambrose describes regarding the penitent who desires the forgiveness of sins and the participation of Holy Communion.  Ambrose describes one who will groan, yearn, and beg with tears to receive God's mercy.  There is no greater longing that he has than to be forgiven and reconciled both to Christ and to his fellow believers.

          I don't know if this was portrayed as the ideal or if Ambrose actually encountered people who were this zealous for absolution.  At the very least, he seems to portray the denial of the sacrament to some as fairly normal.  The desire is for the penitent to show a sincere repentance, but it is equally interesting to see one who is not too proud to humble himself as lowly as possible (in tears!) to receive absolution from the pastor.

          From my experience, people want less and lesss to approach the Lord as sinners.  They see the Church as the place that should cater to them.  They expect, even demand, that they should be received without question.  They insist upon their rights both for forgiveness and the Lord's Supper.  Guests who show up only moments before the service begins (and often think that telling me their names is enough to be received at our altar) are highly insulted that they might have to wait even one week until we can have a discussion about their confession of the Christian faith.  Even if they will be back and their own altar the following week, they are offended that they are encouraged to patiently wait until they return to their own church and pastor.

          On the one hand, I appreciate people who trust in Jesus, take him at his word, and are confident of their salvation based on Jesus' own promises.  On the other hand, the pride is appalling when people tell the pastor that he has no business hearing their confession or examining their faith--which is only concern for their soul's eternal well-being.  If a pastor is not to do these things, then why even have a pastor?  The shepherd is regarded as superfluous, and the sheep, apparently, are to tend themselves.  Such people usually never show up again.  Their pride has been wounded.  They will not be humble, but will let the pastor know how arrogant he is.  I do not pretend to know what is in their hearts.  If fact, that is what I hope to examine and learn.  They, however, have no problem judging mine.

          Anyway, that is enough of my rant.  Ambrose is better reading anyway.  He urges sinners to come to the Lord's Church in all humility, seeking only mercy, and seeking it fervently.  He even urges the whole congregation to have the same fervent longing for the forgiveness of the penitent who has come to them so that they, having all received the same mercy, may all be one communion.

          "If, then, any one, having committed hidden sins, shall nevertheless diligently do penance, how shall he receive those rewards if not restored to the communion of the Church?  I am willing, indeed, that the guilty man should hope for pardon, should seek it with tears and groans, should seek it with the aid of the tears of all the people, should implore forgiveness; and if communion be postponed two or three times, that he should believe that his entreaties have not been urgent enough, that he must increase his tears, must come again even in greater trouble, clasp the feet of the faithful with his arms, kiss them, wash them with tears, and not let them go, so that the Lord Jesus may say of him too: His sins which are many are forgiven, for he loved much. Luke 7:47"  ("Concerning Repentance," Selections from Book 1, chapter 16, paragraph 90)