Ash Wednesday 2011

Yesterday was Ash Wednesday. I wrote about Ash Wednesday a year ago and you can read my posting about it by clicking here: http://www.julianemarie.com/?p=685.

I attended the Ash Wednesday service last night at my church.  It was the usual, very familiar, service that we have every year.  There was the long confession of sins that focused on all the things we do or don’t do that we are sorry for and ask for God’s mercy. Then there is the imposition of ashes where we take turns kneeling and Pastor makes the sign of the cross in black ash on our foreheads. Following this there are the readings, sermon, offering and communion part of the service.  It is all very somber and thought provoking but also uplifting as I am reminded that, even though I am a sinner, I am also forgiven.

Speaking along those lines, my pastor’s sermon was about confession and forgiveness.  I can’t quote it verbatim or even quote it at all but what I took away is the following:

We shouldn’t be down because we confess our sins or dwell on our guilt. Rather we should rejoice in our forgiveness.  Rejoice that through confession and forgiveness we are brought closer to God. We are brought closer to Jesus, who is walking by our side throughout our journey. We are made clean by His blood and are able to call ourselves children of God.

I have been thinking about this since last night. I grew up Lutheran and the churches I attended seem to put a huge emphasis on guilt and our sin. I know that Catholics or, for that matter, Jews, feel that they have the corner on guilt.  But, believe me, the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod could give them a run for their money as far as the guilt trip is concerned. The church I attend now, a part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), doesn’t seem to put that much emphasis on guilt and sin although we do acknowledge it and it is part of our weekly services. There is also the service last night, Ash Wednesday, that puts an enormous emphasis on sin and then there is the Maundy Thursday service where the pastor lays his hands on each congregant and forgives their sins.

But the ELCA church doesn’t drive the point home continually and it is generally a guilt free and joyful worship experience with uplifting messages, awe inspiring music and an all around happy and peaceful time spent with fellow Christians. What I realized, after the sermon last night, is that confession and forgiveness is also a joyful worship experience in and of itself. We don’t have to look at it as a way to make people feel guilty and sinful. But rather to uplift them with the message that we are forgiven, made clean and are walking with Jesus towards our heavenly home.

I think this is the first time I left an Ash Wednesday service feeling joyful in addition to forgiven and peaceful. It’s a wonderful feeling that I hope lasts for a very long time.