While ashes are placed upon the forehead of individuals who approach the altar on Ash Wednesday, these words are spoken by the pastor into the ears, “Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return.” These words come from Genesis 3:19 in which God speaks to Adam declaring, “By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return” (ESV). These words were given to Adam because he broke fellowship with God by eating the forbidden fruit. These words spoke death into his ears. He was created from the dust for life, but now he will return to the dust in death.
These are the same words that we meditate upon at the beginning of our Ash Wednesday service. And thus, we begin the season of Lent in which we recognize our lost condition that we have inherited through Adam. These ashes mark the beginning and the end. We are mortal and we shall die because of our sin. We live in a fallen world that will come to an end. From dust we came and to dust we shall return.
However, these are not the only words spoken by the pastor at the Ash Wednesday Service. The service does not end there. Rather it continues by pointing us away from the failure of the first Adam and ourselves and point us to the success of the Second Adam, Jesus Christ.
Jesus took upon our own flesh and blood. He obeyed the Father’s will and establishes once again fellowship between man and God. He brings us into Holy Communion with Him. Thus, the pastor also speaks these words into our ears, “Take and eat. This is my body given for you” and places the bread into our mouths. Also, he says, “Take and drink. This is my blood of the New Testament shed for you for the forgiveness of sins” and gives the cup which touches our lips. These are the words that Jesus gave to us on the night in which He was betrayed. He came to die so that we may live. We eat this bread given to us by the sweat and blood of His brow.
From Heaven He came, in the grave He laid, and to heaven He returned in His body. Likewise, our bodies that have been redeemed by Him will come from the dust to be with Him forever in heaven. Thus, in the Lord’s Supper, we receive His Body given for us and His Blood shed for us for the forgiveness of our sins, life, and salvation. These elements of bread and body, blood and wine, mark the beginning and the end. We rejoice in the life we have now and in the life to come. Amen.
