Why is it called Ash Wednesday?

Ash Wednesday is approaching.

Your family is invited to the Ash Wednesday service at 7 PM at FUMC at the downtown location…

Yes, kids are invited to attend.

Which means they would get something out of it.

Are you squeamish—for your kids—about the part with the ashes? (You know, the part of the Ash Wednesday service where the pastor using ashes, marks a cross on your forehead.) Okay, I’ll admit that back in the day, I was.

Time Out. Talk about…

What is it with the ashes on Ash Wednesday?  What is that all about? And what is “Lent” anyway?

Here are some details to share with your family. Print out a copy of this discussion guide here.
(Why not a cheat sheet to have with you when you talk about Ash Wednesday/Lent?)

Even if you don’t plan to attend the Ash Wednesday service, this is still important material to look over and share. (And don’t feel bad if a family discussion doesn’t happen until Thursday or even Saturday next week! Or whenever!)

• What is Ash Wednesday? It is the first day of Lent.
• What is Lent? Lent is the 40 days before Easter. (For the fact-checker, Sundays are not counted.) It marks the time period when we “prepare” ourselves for Easter. This preparation can be a deeply personal event, or it is okay to share your thoughts with others if you feel like doing so.
• What are we preparing for? It is not about stockpiling lots of chocolate bunnies! It’s about asking ourselves tough questions like how much do we invite God into our daily lives? What are ways to foster a closer relationship with God? (Because God would really love to be your close friend!) It’s about putting our hearts and minds in order, so that when Easter finally arrives, we are ready to celebrate—to shout Alleluia!
• Why do we celebrate Easter? It’s an important holiday because of what happened on the first Easter. Jesus was crucified on a cross. But rather than this being the end, the cross is a way of showing us the full extent of God’s love. In Jesus’ suffering on the cross he demonstrates a love that will not give up! The happiest news: After three days Jesus rose from the dead! Jesus showed us that God’s love and forgiveness is more powerful even than death.
• What is the significance of Ash Wednesday? Since it starts off Lent, it specifically reminds us of our need for the whole point of Easter: we all make mistakes. We all sin. (Sins are anything we do that separates us from God; that pushes God and/or other people, away.) We all need forgiveness, over and over again! At the Ash Wednesday church service we hear that it is okay for us to admit we aren’t perfect; we can let go of what has happened in the past.
• Why ashes? Ashes are produced when something is burned. It means that something has “died.” In Bible times when people were very sad or sorry, they put ashes on their heads and dressed in “sackcloth”—very scratchy clothes. (Read about such an instance in Esther 4:1.) It was a symbol of how bad they were feeling. When the ashes are placed on your forehead the pastor will say, “The old has died.” Your response can be to say, “The new has come.”
• Why ashes, in the sign of a cross? It is a symbol of your need for God’s love and forgiveness. Because the ashes are marked in a cross this says: “There is hope. Though I have messed up, I am marked as a child of God. I will try, during Lent, to live closer to God.”

Even if your family doesn’t attend the Ash Wednesday service or if your child balks at getting marked with ashes, how about following the following routine during bedtime prep:

As your child washes their face, place your hand on their shoulder and say… God washes away all of your past mistakes. God loves you and promises to help you live as a child of God.

By following this simple step…

You have just blessed your child!

Click on a box if you would like to…
Satisfy your curiosity about why you should bless your child.
View other suggested blessings.

Photo credits…
Forehead with ashes by mtsofan, licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0).