The Symbolism of Ashes If someone who is was not Catholic, especially if they weren’t Christian, walked into our church on Ash Wednesday and saw people getting ashes put onto their forehead, what would they think? The meaning of the symbolism of ashes used on Ash Wednesday is not obvious. So, what do they signify? Ashes are referred to or used throughout the bible, especially the Old Testament, to signify numerous things. Here are three major symbolic meanings behind the ashes found in scripture.
Mortality In the book of Genesis, chapter 3 verse 19 (Gen 3:19), God says to Adam after he sinned, “…you are dust and unto dust you shall return.” Genesis describes God as having created Adam out of the dust/ashes of the earth. Therefore, God is saying to Adam that he will die as a consequence of his sin and his body will return to that primordial state of dust/ashes.
When we receive ashes on our forehead on Ash Wednesday, these very words (“…you are dust and unto dust you shall return”) are meant to remind us of our mortality, that we too will not live on this earth forever. Far from being a depressing thought, this is meant in part to motivate us to begin living now like Christ so that just as he was raised from the dead we too will be raised to new life—even from the dust!.
Repentance (sorrow for one’s sin and desire to change) We see elsewhere in scripture that ashes are used as a sign of repentance. For example, in the book of Job, chapter 42 verse 6 (Jb 42:6), Job says, “…therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.” “…one of the things that ancient Jews would do is when they were entering into a particularly intense period of prayer, penitence for sin, and supplication, they would wear sackcloth, which was a (kind of) rough cloth that would actually be uncomfortable, it would scratch the skin, it would irritate the skin, so it would cause suffering, and it would be a kind of penance. They would also fast (so that would cause a kind of suffering), abstaining from food, abstaining from drink, and so they would suffer in that way. And then they would also cover themselves in ashes as a sign of their mortality and as a sign of repentance” ( emphasis mine).
This is at the heart of the meaning of the season of Lent. We are aiming to repent, to turn from our sinful ways, and, by the grace of God, more fully lead lives of great holiness and joy.
Intercession (to pray on behalf of another for their good) Another important symbolic meaning for ashes can be seen in the book of Esther. Esther, the Jewish queen, who was married to a pagan king (a non-Jew who believed in many false gods), needed to intervene on behalf of her fellow Jewish people who were going to be wrongfully killed unless she was able to change the mind of her king. So what does she do? She enters a period of fervent prayer, fasting, and she covers her head in ashes. In the end, the Jewish people were saved from death because of the intercessory prayer of Esther.
Let’s remember that throughout the season of Lent, especially as we are marked with ashes this Ash Wednesday, our voluntary works of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving can greatly benefit our brothers and sisters in Christ and the whole world not just from physical death but from eternal, spiritual death. You will remain in my prayers as we begin this wonderful season of Lent. Please, pray for me. Thank you.
With fatherly love, Fr. Stiles
NOTE: Much of this information was take from Dr. Brant Pitre's presentation, "Biblical Roots of Ash Wednesday" from https://catholicproductions.com/blogs/blog/the-biblical-roots-of-ash-wednesday