Ash Holy

Of all of the ecumenical services that are held at my workplace each year, I think I like the Ash Wednesday service the most. It seems the most  penitent and somber of the observances, and therefore it seems more focused and truly "holy" in some respects.

True to most things "Christiany" however, it seems that these observances come with a good dose of "do as I say and not as I do" built in. Today's observance did not omit the oft-quoted passages from Matthew where we are directed to not make spectacles of our worship and observance for spectacle's sake, but rather to go into our closets and pray, and to fast in secret rather than in public, and to not be boastful by drawing attention to ourselves, for rather in our private and humble observance will God grant us favor and abide with us.

And then we put a big conspicuous dot of ash in the middle of our foreheads and go back to work.