A Powerful Combination

By Rev. Brent Owens

When I walk past the baptismal font it is my habit to dip my fingers into the holy water because it connects me to my baptism. With the cool, clear, holy water I trace the cross on my forehead and I cross myself. This reminds me to carry the cross and my baptismal vows out into the world.

I served at the 7 a.m. service on Ash Wednesday several weeks ago. As a result, at our noon service there were already ashes on my forehead. As I walked past the baptismal font, I instinctively traced a cross on my forehead with the holy water, mixing the water and the ashes. This got me to thinking. When we mix ashes and water together in the right amounts, it makes lye, which is an alkaline chemical that can cause burns.

Water and ashes, two powerful symbols of the Church, can burn when brought together! At first glance we might think that the reaction between ash and water is dangerous since it can burn. It may very well be dangerous, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Burning can be symbolic of the flame of the Holy Spirit in our lives. The flame of the Holy Spirit can give us passion for new and wonderful things for God’s kingdom. Burning can also be symbolic of purification. When we eliminate impurities, all that remains is what is desired. So, when gold is placed in the refiners fire, the impurities are burned away, leaving only what is good and valuable. And so it is with ashes and water when they are mixed with us in the holiness of God’s church.

But then I started thinking again about the result of mixing ashes and water together. Lye is a vital ingredient in making soap. All soap, from the crudest back yard home made soap, to the finest French triple milled perfumed soap, uses lye. And so when we mix the ashes of Lent and water of baptism another kind of purification takes place. It is a cleansing of our true being, our soul.

But we must also recall that the application of holy ashes and holy water is not all that is required in our Lenten journey to return to God. Ashes and water are important ingredients, but it is up to us to take the first step in our Lenten journey, and the next step, and the next. Our destination is God, but it is the journey with ashes and water on our foreheads that will transform us.

We are now well into Lent. Where are you in your journey?

Brent+