Since we have just entered into Lenten season, I shall take a break from my Puzzling Passages series to talk about this church tradition.
Ash Wednesday is the day where we kick start this season of Lent and for 2025, this day falls on the 5th of March. Ash Wednesday is an early Christian church liturgical practice, and it is not from the Bible. It marks the beginning of Lent, which is a season where the early church marks out 40 days of fasting, repentance, spiritual reflection, and self-examination in preparation for Easter Sunday.
Ash Wednesday is 46 days before Easter Sunday but only 40 days are counted as fasting days. The 46 total days include: 40 days of actual fasting + 6 Sundays, which are not counted as fasting days because those Sundays are considered “mini-Easter” celebrations. All these will culminate on the 7th Sunday, Easter Sunday or some Christians refer to it as Resurrection Sunday.
Many have found this church tradition helpful for their faith and I personally believe it is a good practice to intentionally set aside time for spiritual contemplation. However, some things to be careful of are:
1) not to overly elevate man-made traditions. In Mark 7:7-13, Jesus taught us the dangers of placing man-made traditions on a pedestal. For example, if someone does not feel convicted to participate in the tradition, we are not to look upon the person like he is a sinner. We also must not think that churches that do not adhere to such traditions are less spiritual than churches that do.
2) Matthew 6:16-18 says: “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 17 But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18 so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”
I believe Jesus’ point in this passage is very clear. In this season of fasting, be careful not to make a big show of it. If you intend to fast, you want your full reward from your Heavenly Father and not from the world.