Ashes to Go!
This morning, while standing on a street corner, I allowed a pastor I’ve never met before to dab ash on my right hand. Using the ash, she drew the sign of the cross. This ritual act served as a reminder that, in a real sense, I come from ash and will return to it when I die. I work in the evening, so this was my only chance to observe Ash Wednesday in person. Following this poignant moment, the pastor and I agreed blessings are sorely needed these days.
Ash Wednesday is observed annually throughout mainstream Christianity. It marks the start of Lent, which carries us roughly 40 days through to Easter. The Lenten season is marked by fasting (and Friday night fish fries), contemplation and prayer, along with special worship services. However one observes Lent, for everyone it begins with today’s vivid reminder of our mortality.
As an agnostic Mormon, it may seem doubly odd for me to observe and promote Ash Wednesday. Yet, from the first time I permitted a Roman Catholic priest to dab my forehead with ash (the traditional place on the body to do so), this day has become integral to my spiritual journey. Indeed, Ash Wednesday has become one of, if not the most, inclusive days of the year for Christianity, along with Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve.
Ash Wednesday for Beginners
Here, for your consideration and enjoyment, are a few resources. I start with the most straightforward and then intentionally veer off course into secular material. It is possible to have a bit of fun today. Feel free to add more suggestions for observance in the comments below.
For a primer, I recommend this Encyclopaedia Britannica entry. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, so far as I can tell, has no dedicated webpage entry for Ash Wednesday.
Catholic Mass
If you’ve never attended an Ash Wednesday service, and its not too late, look at the online calendars for Catholic and Protestant churches in your area. Or you can try an online service. I recommend St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City. Big, high-church, with wonderful music talent assisting. I’ve cued the link to the portion of today’s service distinctive to Ash Wednesday, at about 14:47 minutes into the video.
With Help from Aerosmith
Heading in an accessible and inclusive direction, here is a short sermon published by the Episcopal Church. Rev. Anna Tew, a Lutheran pastor, explores Ash Wednesday’s symbolism and continued relevance. She takes as her text the lyrics of Aerosmith’s song “Dream On.” What can I say? It works!
An Ash Wednesday-esque TV Episode
On an even more secular note, I recommend the Season 2 episode of Northern Exposure titled “All is Vanity.” Like the Aerosmith song, this is not an Ash Wednesday piece. However, it resonates with similar themes. The citizens of the quirky town of Cicily, Alaska discover an unknown deceased person. They place him reverentially in the center of town in the hopes he can be identified. Culminating in the lighting of a funeral pyre, over the course of the episode, the cast all experience a growing sense of kinship with the deceased. As they say, ashes to ashes, dust to dust.
This episode can be rented/purchased via a couple of platforms. I utilized Google TV. Anyone know of other TV episodes or movies addressing Ash Wednesday?
A Spaghetti Western-styled Ash Wednesday Reel
Lastly, if you’ll forgive some self-indulgence, I posted a short Instagram reel, with a caption summing up my feelings.
“Inescapable: we all come from the ash of stars, and we will all return to it. Speaking as a Mormon agnostic, I plan to spend the Lenten season contemplating my place in a kingdom hinted at in scripture—the kingdom which Jesus said ‘is not of this world.’”
Okay, W&T readers. First off, I wish you a blessed Ash Wednesday and start to the Lenten season! What are your experiences with, and feelings regarding, this day. Have you seen any references to this day in Mormonism? If so, please mention them as well in the comments.
Wheat & Tares 
Protestants didn’t observe Ash Wednesday when I was kid, except for a few Anglo-Catholics and Lutherans. I saw the practice grow during the end of the 20th century. Curious as to why this practice of the great and abominable Church has flourished?
If an LDS member observes Ash Wed. should his or her bishop be concerned? It’s a religious ritual that is not part of the LDS religion after all.
Ah, I love a good vajra2 comment—succinct with impeccable word choice and references. Sincerely!
Normally, I like to hold back and wait for others to chime in. But, since I don’t expect this post to go viral… I will answer your excellent question about Ash Wednesday’s increased popularity with two likely suspects: trendiness & FOMO.
I enter, as Exhibit A, myself. My first significant in-person encounter with Ash Wednesday was in college choir. A Catholic student came in with the ash on his forehead, significant perhaps because it was a fellow student I knew and respected. But by this point I already had some holy envy for Roman Catholics and their elaborate weekly masses.
I think Ash Wednesday carries visibly out into society, essentially marketing itself. As Britannica notes, it is not an official Catholic sacrament, so anybody can show up and fully participate. I think this may speak some to Josh’s great question as well. It’s not a saving ordinance, essentially a midweek fast day, so I assume these days it wouldn’t get an LDS person in formal trouble to participate. Though, the mark in the forehead and past general disdain toward Catholics may provide stigma in some circles. But I’m generalizing and speculating on that.
But yeah, vajra2, thanks for pointing out how this day’s significance has changed over time.
Wouldn’t it be great if Mormons did practice Ash Wednesday, Holy Week, lent, advent, and whatever else it would take to have more variety to meetings than just which general conference talk is regurgitated. Yup, holy envy.
I don’t know if Josh H is being serious our not because this is something I used to see regularly, but the fact that I can’t tell is one of the reasons I could never “re-believe” in the church.
The fear of participating in a simple Christian ritual (this used to be me). You fast, you pray, you get ash from the palm leaves of last years Palm Sunday. You’re not praying to saints, venerating icons, getting baptized, etc.
The deference to a leader over figuring it out yourself.
The leader who stands in judgement over the salvation of the flock.
Wednesday evening I attend community orchestra rehearsals. These are usually held in the church hall of the local Catholic Church, but not an Ash Wednesday. Yesterday evening we rehearsed a nearby Methodist church instead.