Oldest daughter was telling of an Episcopal church she heard about that was having an Ash and Dash way to be blessed on Ash Wednesday---allowing folks to stay in their cars, roll down the window, hear a prayer, receive the sign of the cross on their foreheads, and be on their merry way. I'm sorry, but this just smacks of our current trend in having everything done speedily. You hear this all the time on the Internet, but flying through our tasks, chores, and pleasures isn't always the way to go. And the service at church surrounding Ash Wednesday is so sweet, not lengthy, but full of beauty. To lower the day to a quick prayer and a brushing of the forehead with ashes---(okay, you're done) is just plain sad. And I won't listen to anyone's argument on it being cold and this makes it easy for folks. Who ever said that church attendance was supposed to be easy?
Somber, respectful, more quiet, prayerful, inward thinking, sacrificial---these are the words reflecting Lent. Not Ash and Dash. How common, and how irreverent.
