Now we come to the day when Lent begins, and a special emphasis is put on our unworthiness, our deep singular need for Christ, and even the practices we undertake for the purposes of helping us focus. We fast from certain foods, not as a dietary function, but to be bodily reminded that we do not deserve them, and we need Christ. We fast from certain sights, not because we can save a little money on flowers during Lent, but to remember that even the beauties of the earth are undeserved, and given for our eyes to see without any merit or worthiness in us. We fast from singing alleluias, not because we want to do something different in the liturgy, but to remember that even our lips to sing praises are unmerited gifts.

And we employ the marking of the forehead with ashes on the first day of Lent not as an outward show in order to be seen by men, but rather to remember, O man, that we are dust, and to dust we shall return. This is no idle exercise. We really are dust, we were created out of the ground, and would surely return to dust the moment God withdrew his sustaining hand that preserves us moment by moment. And we really shall return to dust, as everyone knows. We really die, we are really buried, we really disintegrate. We really cannot live, and will really die, and that eternally, without Christ, and without his holy incarnation and the sanctification and renewal of our flesh by his holy sacrifice and resurrection. I believe in the resurrection of the body. And this body is in dire need of being renewed and raised from the dead. And the imposition of ashes is a poignant and personal reminder of that.

So what, then, can we say of the antiseptic practices some have chosen to undergo in order to impose ashes on foreheads on Ash Wednesday because of the fear of spreading germs? What can we say of the practice of reminding people to wash their foreheads first, and of using disposable gloves and disposable swabs? What can we say of the sprinkling of ashes instead of the imposition of them? Does this not all run directly contrary to what the imposition of ashes means? Does this not say, rather, something like this? “Let’s do the ash thing, but let’s first take care that we do not really get sick and die! Let’s engage in this ritual because it’s important somehow, but we wouldn’t want to pass any germs around!” Must we now say, “Remember, O man, that you are dust, but that’s nothing! You might get covid!”

Ash Wednesday is not the time, O man, to be carefully remembering first of all to take whatever measures you must take to stay safe! For you, O man, are not safe! You are dust, and to dust shall you return. Of all times, Ash Wednesday calls us away from all earthly enterprises, to believe this, and to call upon the Incarnate God who alone can rescue us.