Ash Wednesday Invitation - Sermon for Ash Wednesday (March 5, 2025)

Scripture Readings: Isaiah 58:1–12 | Psalm 51 | 2 Corinthians 5:20b–6:10 | Matthew 6:1–6, 16–21

Ashes to ashes… dust to dust.

These words are often uttered in the context of a burial, confronting us in the midst of life with our own mortality. They recall the tragic words spoken to Adam and Eve in the early chapters of Genesis, after these humans, created from the soil of the earth and raised up to share in God’s image, turned their backs on the LORD, and fell in their pride and folly. 

“By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread 
until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; 
you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” (Genesis 3:19)

Ash Wednesday is an important opportunity for us to remember this sad part of our shared human story… for us to stop playing games, or glossing over uncomfortable truths, and to get real… to face our vulnerability, and sin head on… to recognize together that we are not just weak, but helpless in the face of death… that we are not just caught up in a broken system, but an active part of it as well… to remember that we are dust, and to dust we shall all return… that in so many ways, our world is still estranged from the will of our Heavenly Father… and far off course from His intensions… bound to futility.

I promise you, there is Good News here. I know this is heavy, and hard, but there is real hope being offered, even here. 

Which is more than we often encounter when we look around at our world today. Everywhere we turn, there seem to be plenty of reminders these days that we are helpless: constantly bombarded by news about the series problems our world is facing... especially all of the problems brought about by proud and powerful rulers, and the devastation they can cause… a climate crisis out of control, and little political will to do much about it… injustice seemingly given the green light, again and again, while the wicked seem to flourish.

But as we are tempted to despair, Ash Wednesday reminds us that all those who trouble the earth are dust as well. That despite all of their pride and folly, to dust we all shall return.

This is the common plight of humankind… poor or rich, kind and cruel, wise or fool… no matter how much we may long to experience life in all it’s fullness, we are all going to die.

The difference becomes: how will we all respond to this reality?

Will we just go on playing games and pretending? Distracting ourselves, or denying the fact of death, and the inevitable end of all our hopes and plans? Will we give in to fear, and desperately cling to whatever gives us some sense of comfort or control?

Ash Wednesday calls us to respond in a different way: with humility and faith… and facing the limits of our lives by trusting in the mercy and love of the Living God. 

Humility is not given very much attention these days, but it’s a vital Christian virtue. It’s connected to the word for “earth”… as in soil… dirt… dust… and it refers to that which is lowly… and openhearted… as opposed to being prideful, self-centred, and vain. Humility is not the same as self-consciousness, or shame, or a poor sense of worth… but rather the ability to recognize and operate within our limits… to be in touch with reality. And so, Ash Wednesday invites us to remember who we really are… with all of our flaws and faults… but instead of then falling into despair, to turn instead to the LORD in faith.

Yes, Ash Wednesday is a call to faith. An invitation to trust that, even though we are dust… we are called to turn our eyes to the Creator and Redeemer of the Earth, and to seek His mercy… not by pretending do be perfect, or especially pious, but drawing near as we really are, and humbly saying ‘yes’ to what He has graciously offered us: full forgiveness… true freedom… and new and everlasting life through Jesus Christ.

Ash Wednesday points us to Jesus, God’s perfect, sinless Son, who out of self-giving love stepped into all of our messes of ashes and dust, and took it all on His own shoulders… to set free all those oppressed by the injustice of others, and also ensnared by their own wickedness… to feed the hungry with the bread of His own body, and the wine of His blood, the true food from heaven that sustains and satisfies in ways beyond compare… and to cover up the nakedness of all our guilt and shame, wrapping us up in His own honour and glory, and embracing us as His beloved sisters and brothers… humbling Himself at the cross to lift up us creatures of dust, and fill us with His divine life and holy love. As St. Paul puts it: “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21). 

Ash Wednesday reminds us of the Good News of Jesus Christ our humble and faithful Saviour… the Good News God’s life-giving love for you and I, and all of us creatures of ashes and dust… a love that alone can raise up the dead, and that will make all things new.

So may we respond to the invitation of Ash Wednesday: may we acknowledge our powerless. May we repent of our pride, and our selfishness, and sin. May we confess our need for God’s mercy, offered to us through the cross of Jesus Christ. And may we believe that His holy, reconciling, and life-giving love is what we all really need. Amen.