On the first day of Lent in the Western tradition, the heads of the faithful are plied with ashes. I’ve already given a rationale and defense of the practice of Ash Wednesday for any who are under the impression that the imposition of ashes is somehow contrary to our Lord’s command not to “disfigure” one’s face when fasting (Matthew 6:16-21). The Western “Shrove Tuesday” and “Ash Wednesday” are remarkably consonant in their themes and effects to the Eastern “Forgiveness Sunday” and “Clean Monday.”
In this post, however, I want to focus more closely on the blessing of ashes, and how, as with all blessed items, it’s really a blessing upon us through the sacramentals. Put simply, the imposition of blessed ashes upon our heads on Ash Wednesday is one of the most overt and powerful reminders to us that we are mortal, contingent creatures—made and sustained at every moment by the power and authority of God, directly or delegated. It’s a healthy shot of humility, and it falls perfectly within the patterns of Adam’s judgement (Gen. 3:19), Job’s ash-covered perseverance, the repentance of the Ninevites, and the call for fasting in the book of the Prophet Joel.
Below is the actual text of the service of the Blessing of Ashes, the ashes of which will have been prepared from the burning of the previous year’s blessed palm branches from Palm Sunday. Note that this service immediately precedes the Mass (Divine Liturgy) of the Day, which itself ends with themes of refreshment and strengthening—with the faithful receiving the sacramental Presence of our risen Lord, while wearing upon their heads the blessed reminder of their complete dependence upon him.
ASH WEDNESDAY ORDER OF SERVICE
Before Mass, ashes prepared from the branches of Palm or other trees blessed on the previous Palm Sunday are blessed. The choir first sings the following antiphon:
Antiphon. Ps. 69:17 Hear us, O Lord, for thy loving-kindness is comfortable: turn thee unto us. O Lord, according to the multitude of thy mercies. Ps. 69.1. Save me, O God: for the waters are come in even unto my soul. Glory be…
℣. The Lord be with you.
℟. And with thy spirit.
℣. Let us pray. Almighty and everlasting God, spare them that are penitent, be favorable to them that call upon thee; and vouchsafe to send thy holy Angel from heaven, to bl✠ess and sanc✠tify these ashes, that they may be a wholesome medicine to all who humbly call upon thy holy Name: who in their consciences by sin are accused, who in the sight of thy divine compassion bewail their faults, and earnestly and meekly implore thy most gracious loving-kindness; and grant to all them that call upon thy most holy name: that they, being sprinkled therewith for the redemption of their transgressions, may be preserved evermore both in body and soul; through Christ our Lord.
℟. Amen.
℣. Let us pray. O God, who wouldest not the death of a sinner, but rather that he should repent: mercifully look upon the frailty of our mortal nature; and of thy goodness vouchsafe to bl✠ess these ashes which we purpose to have set upon our heads for the increase of humility, and the meriting of pardon; that we, acknowledging that we are but ashes, and that by reason of our vileness unto dust we shall return; may through thy mercy be found meet to receive forgiveness of all our sins, and the rewards which thou hast promised to them that are penitent; through Christ our Lord.
℟. Amen.
℣. Let us pray. O God, who dost turn unto them that abase themselves, and art favorable unto them that make satisfaction: incline thy gracious ear to our prayers; and mercifully pour forth upon the heads of thy servants now to be sprinkled with these ashes the grace of thy benediction: that they being filled with the spirit of true penitence may effectually obtain those things that they have asked according to thy will. And we beseech thee to ordain that we, being stablished in these thy blessings, may cleave to the same unto life everlasting; through Christ our Lord.
℟. Amen.
℣. Let us pray. Almighty and everlasting God, who upon the people of Nineveh, repenting in sackcloth and ashes, didst bestow the healing of thy loving-kindness: mercifully grant that we may so imitate them in outward fashion that we may be made like unto them in the obtaining of thy pardon; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with thee and the Holy Ghost, liveth and reigneth, ever one God, world without end.
℟. Amen.
The Priest sprinkles the ashes with holy water thrice; saying “Thou shalt purge me with hyssop, O Lord, and I shall be clean, thou shalt wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.” He then censes them thrice. The people come forward as directed for the imposition of ashes, The priest saying, Remember, O man, that thou art dust, and unto dust thou shalt return.
ANTIPHONS DURING THE IMPOSITION OF ASHES
Joel 2:13. Immutemur. Let us change our raiment for sackcloth and ashes: let us fast and mourn before the Lord; for our God is exceeding merciful to forgive us our sins.
Joel 2:17. Let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say: spare, O Lord, spare thy people: and shut not up, O Lord, the mouths of them that praise thee.
Responsory. Esther 13; Joel 2. Let us amend the sins that in our ignorance we have committed: lest the day of death come suddenly upon us, and we find no place for repentance, though we seek it. Hear, O Lord, and have mercy: for we have sinned against thee. ℣. Ps. 79.9. Help us, O God of our salvation: and for the glory of thy name deliver us, O Lord. Hear, O Lord…. ℣. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. Hear, O Lord…
After all have received ashes the priest cleanses his fingers.
℣. The Lord be with you.
℟. And with thy spirit
℣. Let us pray. Grant to us, O Lord, to put on the armor of our Christian warfare with prayer and fasting; that we, who are to fight against all spiritual wickedness, may be defended by the power of abstinence. Through Christ our Lord.
℟. Amen.