The associated reading for this reflection can be found in your Every Sacred Sunday Mass journal or online here.
Today, many of us will go to Mass and receive ashes on our foreheads. These ashes — sometimes a smudge, sometimes a beautiful cross — will show anyone we encounter that we are Christians who have entered into the penitential season of Lent.
Ashes are all over the place in the Old Testament. The penitent wears them during times of grief, offering prayers and petitions to the Lord.
My favorite example of this comes from the book of Esther. The Jewish queen has been told that her government plans to slaughter her people, so she quickly hides away, dons sackcloth and ashes, and prays that God guide her.
Then, after she prays (for three days!), she changes from the sackcloth into garments so splendid that she needs a handmaid to carry her train. Scripture tells us, “She glowed with perfect beauty and her face was as joyous as it was lovely, though her heart was pounding with fear.”
Did you notice the Gospel reading today? Jesus specifically demands that we not change our appearance, lest we “be like the hypocrites.” Yet here we are, showing the entire world (or at least our coworkers) that today we are fasting and our penance has begun.
How do we reconcile this seeming contradiction between our practice and what Scripture says? In the early tradition of wearing ashes for Ash Wednesday, which flowed directly from the Jewish practice of sprinkling ashes, the priest or acolyte would put ashes on the crown of our head (meaning it would be in our hair, for most) rather than making a cross on our skin. For some parts of the world, this changed around the 16th Century, likely in response to the Protestant Reformation, as a way to stand publicly as a Catholic. So now, in many countries and especially in the US, we have a mark for all to see.
The heart of the matter is this: Jesus says the hypocrites act in public “so that others may see them” and “to win the praise of others.” Are we taking #ashtag selfies as a way to evangelize — or to show off how pious we are? Are we showing off pictures of our home altars to inspire others — or to let everyone know that we're good Catholics?
We can all spend more time with Jesus in secret. Listen to the Lord and let him guide your heart this Lent.
Marissa Rankin studied classical voice performance at Ave Maria University ('15) and Belmont University ('17) before settling down in Nashville with her husband and pup. She is the creator and founder of Covenant Co., a series of resources for engaged and married Catholics, where she aspires to help Catholic couples and remind the Church that marriage is a vocation, too! If you are getting married or know someone who was recently engaged, check out Covenant Co. on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest!
