Sign of the times

Christians enter season of reflection, reconciliation, forgiveness

Bruce Parker, like many other Christians, marked last year’s Ash Wednesday with ashes on his forehead as a sign of repentence. “(The ashes) are a visual aide, a sign to others of our mortality and dependence on God’s salvation. Ash Wednesday is when we reflect on mortality — ours and that of Jesus,” said the Rev. David Bentley, senior pastor of First United Methodist Church in Rogers
Bruce Parker, like many other Christians, marked last year’s Ash Wednesday with ashes on his forehead as a sign of repentence. “(The ashes) are a visual aide, a sign to others of our mortality and dependence on God’s salvation. Ash Wednesday is when we reflect on mortality — ours and that of Jesus,” said the Rev. David Bentley, senior pastor of First United Methodist Church in Rogers

God sent Jonah to Ninevah, to warn the citizens of God's anger and urge them to repent -- for God loved Ninevah. But Jonah did not want his enemies to escape God's wrath, so he hid from God.

photo

NWA Democrat-Gazette

The Rev. David Bentley, senior pastor of First United Methodist Church in Rogers, draws the mark of a cross in ashes Cornelius Sharp during the 2014 Ash Wednesday observance. The church will again offer “Ashes to Go” from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday at First and Walnut streets and First and Poplar streets in downtown Bentonville.

Jonah boarded a boat to flee the Lord. God sent a storm, and Jonah was thrown overboard to calm the seas. God sent a great fish to swallow Jonah, where he stayed three days and nights, praying for repentance. When Jonah was released, he followed God's instruction and warned the Ninevites of impending doom, if they did not repent.

First United Methodist Church

307 W. Elm St., Rogers

Ash Wednesday

Ashes to Go: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. downtown Rogers

Service: 7 p.m. Wednesday

Information: 631-7997, fumcrogers.org

St. Mary Catholic Church

1998 U.S. 412, Siloam Springs

Ash Wednesday

Distribution: Noon Wednesday

Mass: 7 p.m.

Reconciliation

March 17

Saturday, Sunday, by appointment

Information: 524-8526, stmaryssiloamspring…

The Ninevites believed God. They declared a fast, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth. ...

The king of Ninevah rose from his throne, took off his royal robes, covered himself with sackcloth and sat down in the dust. ...

When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he had compassion and did not bring upon them the destruction he had threatened.

-- Book of Jonah

Ashes to Ashes

"Back in the Old Testament times, when you were very remorseful about something, you'd wear sack cloths and pour ashes over yourself," said the Rev. David Bentley, senior pastor of First United Methodist Church in Rogers.

"Way back in the early days, Christianity was formalized that penance and repentance required prayer and fasting," said the Rev. Salvador Marquez-Munoz, pastor of St. Mary Catholic Church in Siloam Springs. "In Jonah, the people of Ninevah fasted, wore sack cloth and poured ashes over their heads, as a way to acknowledge what they had done wrong."

The tradition, although changed, has carried forward, and Christians every where will offer their own repentance to God on Wednesday. With the sign of the cross marked on their foreheads in ashes, they will observe Ash Wednesday as the start of Lent -- a time of confession, repentance and forgiveness.

"(The ashes) are a visual aide, a sign to others of our mortality and dependence on God's salvation," Bentley said. "Ash Wednesday is when we reflect on mortality -- ours and that of Jesus. We can relate to Jesus who was not only mortal, but also knew our need for forgiveness."

As a part of Adam and Eve's penance for their sin, God told them, "By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return." -- Genesis 3:19.

"Our ancestors caught on to the idea that, when we die we go back to ashes, we return to the basic element," Bentley said. "Even with embalming, sooner or later, we all return to the earth. That's what the ashes are meant to tell us.

"Our generation has a hard time remembering our own mortality," he continued. No modern hymns mention death, but the older hymns are all about dying.

"We're living longer than we once did. "We forget that we are mortal. They tell me my granddaughter will live to be 100. It's hard to deal with mortality when you are going to live for a century. Be we need it more now than they did in the past."

The ashes used for imposition often come from burning the palm branches saved from the previous year's Palm Sunday celebration.

At First Methodist, worshipers write their sins on small pieces of paper, which are burned along with the palm branches.

"Then everybody's sins are mixed together," Bentley said. "Sin is the same in the eyes of God, and we all need forgiveness.

"Repent and believe in the gospel -- that's the sermon."

Lent Means Spring

"This is the time when God gives us the opportunity to be of a spirit to prepare to celebrate Easter," Marquez-Munoz said. "We have 40 days to reflect on God and our lives. We are centering on prayer, deepening our intimacy with God."

In the Catholic tradition, Reconciliation with God begins with confession. "This is a personal opportunity to receive God's forgiving grace," Marquez-Munoz said. "God knows already what you've done, but he wants to hear it from your lips. And he wants you to acknowledge what he did: His son came to sacrifice.

"Repentance comes after confession," he continued. "It's reconciliation with others and yourself."

Many people have a hard time forgiving themselves, holding on to it especially if it hasn't been confessed in many years. "Reconciliation is a sacrament of healing -- emotionally, physically and spiritually," Marquez-Munoz said.

"Lent is like 40 days of down time to think of our sinful, mortal death as Christians and build up to the celebration of Easter Sunday," Bentley said.

"Lent is low-key," agreed Marquez-Munoz, noting that music and decoration of the sanctuary are subdued. In fact, when he enters the sanctuary Wednesday, the service won't start with an introductory hymn. The priest will walk in silence as another sign of reflection.

Fasting for Lent is an ancient tradition. Jesus fasted for 40 days in the desert before he began his formal ministry, Marquez-Munoz noted.

Modern-day faithful are encouraged to reasonably fast at least on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. "But it's more than abstinence," the priest said. "It's penance, a sacrifice. God wants you to do more than just give up. He wants you to give in and engage in more charitable activities."

During Lent, Christians also are called to see the light of others. "Lent can stress the fact that God is present even in those others we often ignore: the poor, the sick, the needy," Marquez-Munoz said.

He suggested, that instead of going out to dinner on Friday after payday, use that money to help someone in need.

"Whether you give up candy bars or soft drinks or soap operas, it's sacrificial," Bentley said. "Use that time you would have eaten that candy bar on reflection instead."

"Focuse on God's love and purpose. His will, his strength, his character," Marquez-Munoz agreed.

"Lent prepares us to enter the glorified season of Easter," Marquez-Munoz continued. "That's the high point of Christianity. Without our faith, Christianity doesn't make sense."

"God is so merciful, so loving, that he has restored us as individuals to that state of grace," Marquez-Munoz concluded. "Despite human weakness, God is there to perfect what he created."

"It all comes back to reflection on our mortal life and the life of Christ," Bentley said. "We are sinful. Jesus gave up his life to do something about it."

NAN Religion on 02/14/2015

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