Ash Wednesday a solemn reminder of mortality, sinfulness and salvation

Greetings from Faith Lutheran Church in Eldorado.

Today is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. It is a solemn day centered around fasting, contemplation of ones' sinful life, and receiving ash on one's forehead. For others it is unknown, a little strange, super religious, and popish.

Ash Wednesday is not mentioned in the Bible nor are there any New Testament commands to observe it. No church that practices it understands it as a sacrament nor an ordinance.

Celebrating Ash Wednesday is not needed for salvation or even temporal membership in a congregation. Anyone can be marked with ash, Christian or non-Christian.

It is not a law to burden a soul and even though it is not found celebrated in the Bible nor commanded, Christians who practice it are not adding to the Scripture any more that having pews, electric lights, greeters, ushers and a host of other items or customs also not mentioned in the Scriptures.

So why celebrate Ash Wednesday? Ash Wednesday has proved itself to be a useful custom to remind a person that they are mortal and sinful. It has allowed Christians to take time out to focus on the meaning and nature of repentance and thus a time to focus on Christ, who died for their sins and the sins of the world.

Shouldn't we confess our sins and repent daily and not just one day out of the year? Yes! Luther recommends that we end each day with a self-examination of our lives asking for forgiveness for the sins we have committed that day. Every time we pray the Lord's prayer, we prayer a prayer of repentance.

However, Ash Wednesday is a corporate time to hear preaching and teaching on repentance. Some have found it beneficial to begin a renewed commitment to Christ if they have strayed from him which is continued through Lent.

It is not to be used to attempt to earn grace with God, for grace is a gift which only Christ can merit and bestow on us through faith. One is not to use the ceremony to boast of one's religiosity over those who do not celebrate Ash Wednesday.

We are to witness our faith, but not to be like the Pharisee and attempt to gain some type of an award for religiosity either from God or man.

The origin of the custom of Ash Wednesday may go back to Pope Gregory the Great around 590 to 604 A.D. Ash Wednesday begins the 40-day celebration of Lent that leads a person to Good Friday and Easter.

Many Christians will fast in preparation for this observance. The Bible has numerous examples of individuals and peoples fasting and using ashes to humble themselves and demonstrating their repentance to God. Job, Daniel, and Mordecai used ash to show their humility and prophets like Jeremiah commanded people to "roll in ashes" in showing repentance.

Faith Lutheran Church will celebrate Ash Wednesday at 6 p.m. and all are welcome.

• David Otten is pastor of Faith Lutheran Church in Eldorado.