Lenten season starts with a mortality reminder

Thu, Feb 23rd 2012, 08:34 AM

You see it every year on Ash Wednesday, believers walking around with a cross of ashes on their foreheads, and you hope and pray they all know why they are wearing the sign. But one priest made certain the members of his parish knew why they were wearing the sign of the cross. At Ash Wednesday services, he took them through the reasons behind the use of ashes within the biblical traditions and why they still use them in the church today.
Canon Basil Tynes, rector at St. Barnabas Anglican Church on Baillou Hill Road and Wulf Road, reminded his congregation of the three services held at the church during the course of the day, of the five reasons ashes were used in the Old Testament literature and what it means.
"Ashes are placed on our foreheads as a reminder of our mortality, that we've only come to this world for a season and a time, and we have to prepare ourselves. We came from God, and one day we will return to Him and the question is how and in what condition we will return?"
In Old Testament literature, Canon Tynes said in the first instance, ashes were used to remind God's people of their mortality, and that they had a beginning and a definite end. He told them that only God goes on forever. He referenced Genesis 18:20 where Abraham told God that he wanted to make a plea, and said all that he was is dust and ashes.
"The second thing ashes were used for was that they were a sign of grief or sorrow over the death of loved ones, as in the case of Job when he lost his children and all that he lost that day. He sat down in sackcloth and ashes and threw dust and ashes over himself as he grieved and mourned."
In today's world, Tynes said when ashes are applied to the forehead, people should be grieving over the death of sin in their lives, as sin does not bring life, but rather death. He said it spurs on the whole culture of death that surrounds people.
"[Roman Catholic] Pope John Paul used to talk about the culture of death and destruction, because many times we turn away from God, we turn away from this life that misses the mark completely and all that we see going on around us in terms of the crime, the things that we do towards people, property, the sexual abuse, all of the other things, are all a part of the (death) that we are reminded to turn away from."
Canon Tynes said the third reason ashes were used were as a sign of repentance which is seen in Matthew 11:21.
In the fourth instance, Canon Tynes said ashes were used as a symbol of consecration in the epistle to the Hebrews. He said they took the ashes of a heifer and mixed it with oil to consecrate the priest for service in the temple.  He said it is important that ashes are used as a form of consecration of people dedicating their lives back to God.
In today's world, he reminded Anglicans that they needed to repent, and believe the gospel more fervently personally.
"People can hide in a congregation and just because they're going through the mass and the rituals, or praise and worship and the rest of it, they can be going through the form of religion, but denying the power thereof. And the gospel should really transform people's lives."
He said that the whole point behind Lent is for people to take a personal look on the inside to see whether they are really getting themselves together in terms of the gospel tradition.
The fifth reason ashes were used was as a sign of corporate repentance.
"In one case there's individual repentance in Matthew, but corporate repentance in terms of Jonah chapter 3, where Jonah gets the whole city of Nineveh, including the king to put on sackcloth and ashes as a sign of their corporate repentance. I want them to understand that it's the whole community, it's not just the church, because a lot of people who are non-Anglicans come to participate in Ash Wednesday service and I tell them this is a grand opportunity for us as a people to turn back to God and be able to say 'Lord we are sorry because we've been off track as a nation, as a community, or as a church'.
"In other words, the whole corporate nature of sin is taken seriously, because when we don't care, and we say that's not my business, we're actually committing a sin not only against God, but against the rest of our community by not being responsible."
The priest "hammered home" to Anglicans that God is a God of second chances. That he calls them day-by-day to demonstrate the same loyalty that He shows to them.
"God is always faithful to us. The question is how faithful are we to Him? There is a real need for us to turn back, not only to the source of our life, but the ground of our being and be able to move forward to what God has always intended us to be according to the Gospel tradition," he said.
Over the next 40 days of Lent, which actually turns out to be 46 days as Sundays should not be counted, Canon Tynes encouraged Anglicans to take on something extra, and not only look to give up something.
"There are some people who for Lent decide that they're going to give up candy ... chocolate -- but I'm not concerned about their dietary concerns. I'm more concerned with them taking on something, taking on the cross and following Him wherever He decides to lead them."
He said the men of his parish had already had a meeting where they discussed implementing an apprentice program to help some of the younger men with acquiring jobs, developing new skills and generally doing things to try to uplift people to where they need to be. But at the same time he said they were not going to forget the spiritual aspect of the Lenten season, and had decided to call a fast at some point, to pray not only for the church, but for the country as well.
The members were also encouraged to take the season seriously.
"I tell people all the time, that they could have religion, but that it doesn't necessarily mean that they have a relationship with God. And that there are people who are going through the form of religion, but deny the power thereof."
Canon Tynes said religion is at its best when it is properly taught and explained, which was the reason why he took his parish members through the reasons behind the use of ashes within the biblical traditions and why they still use them in the church today.
Lent officially began yesterday and officially ends on Holy Saturday evening, usually at the vigil service. At St. Barnabas church, their vigil service is usually held on Sunday morning with a 5 a.m. service, which Canon Tynes says he's found to be a better time to have the service as most people tend to turn out, rather than trying for a 12 midnight Mass.

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