Almighty God, you have created us out of the dust of the earth. May these ashes be a sign of our mortality and penitence, and a reminder that only by your gracious gift are we given everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
- Ash Wednesday prayer
Redeemer will hold an Ash Wednesday service to mark the start of Lent at noon on Wednesday, February 14th. The Redeemer nursery will be open for children ages 3 months to 4 years old. We encourage you to come and join us for this beautiful service in the life of the church.
Ash Wednesday marks the first day of Lent. By the fourth century, the Western church had
determined that the Lenten period of fasting and renewal should correspond to Christ’s forty-day fast in the wilderness (Matt. 4:2). By counting forty days back from Easter (excluding Sundays, which remain celebratory in remembrance of the resurrection), Christians arrived at the Wednesday seven weeks before Easter.
Originally, Lent was the season during which recent converts prepared for baptism on Easter Sunday. Later, however, this season became a general time of reflection and renewal for all Christians. Today, this forty day season is practiced by Christians, both Catholic and Protestant, and prepares us for celebrating Easter’s victory by remembering the reasons for and the pathway of the cross.
The specific aim of Ash Wednesday is threefold:
- To meditate on our mortality, sinfulness and need of a savior
- To renew our commitment to daily repentance in the Lenten season and in all of life.
- To remember with confidence and gratitude that Christ has conquered death and sin.
Ash Wednesday worship, then, is filled with Gospel truth. It is a witness to the power and beauty of our union with Christ and to the daily dying and rising with Christ this entails.
To read previous Redeemer resources about Ash Wednesday and Lent, use the following links:
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