Memorial United Methodist Church

ASH WEDNESDAY, LENT AND EASTER

A message from Pastor Joe Agne

Have you ever wondered -- How the date of Ash Wednesday is set? How the length of Lent is decided? How we get the date of Easter? Why we use ashes on the first day of Lent?

Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent, 46 days prior to the date of Easter. Lent lasts 40 days, but it doesn’t include Sundays because Sunday is always the joyful celebration of the Resurrection, even during Lent. Since the date of Easter changes each year, Ash Wednesday can occur as early as early as Feb. 4 (last time was 1818) or as late as March 10 (the last time was 1943). This year it is Feb. 6. Ash Wednesday has not occurred on Leap Year Day (Feb. 29), and this will not happen until 2096.

Easter in 2008 will be on March 23. Easter is always the first Sunday after the first full moon on or after the spring equinox. The ecclesial spring equinox is always March 21. The earliest and latest possible dates for Easter are March 22 and April 25.

We use ashes to mark the first day of Lent. According to Rev. Ken Collins, “Biblical societies relied very heavily on wood fires for heating and cooking, which meant that keeping ashes under control was a major housekeeping task. Then as now, if a person was preoccupied with something serious, they didn’t always tend to the housekeeping—it’s the least of their concerns. Imagine that there is a death in the family. A friend stopping by to pay their respects might gently say, ‘Did you know you have ashes on your face?’ So ashes became a sign of remorse, repentance, and mourning. Today someone might wear a black armband to signify that they are in mourning; back then people put ashes on their foreheads.

Lent gives us a chance to retreat into the wilderness as did Jesus when he fasted for forty days to prepare for his ministry. It is a period of retreat when, like Jesus, we can take time for contemplation, reflection and preparation.

Take some time this Lent to wander in the wilderness.

Peace, Salaam, Shalom,
Pastor Joe