Tyler residents take part in Ash Wednesday

Published 2:35 pm Wednesday, February 22, 2023

“Remember you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”

For more than 1,500 years, Christians have used these words from Genesis on Ash Wednesday as a reminder of human mortality and the need for reconciliation with God.

“Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the 46-day period where churches prepare for Easter,” said Rev. Mitch Tollett of St. Francis Episcopal Church in Tyler.

The day also known as the Day of Ashes marks the beginning of Lent, a 40-day season of penance, reflection, and fasting in preparation of Christ’s resurrection on Easter Sunday, through which people often seek redemption, according to christianity.com.

An Ash Wednesday prayer service is often led by a prayerful member of the community, a priest, deacon, or any other defined member of the clergy, in which they will place ashes in the shape of a cross on a worshiper’s forehead.

A prayer service may include the scripture readings of the day, an Old Testament Reading, a Psalm, a New Testament Epistle and a Gospel passage.

The day is often observed by Catholics but others include Lutherans, Methodists, Episcopalians, Presbyterians, and Baptists.

Among Tollett’s blessings he provides during ash services, he is partial to Matthew 6:21, “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”

Although people traditionally receive ashes inside sanctuaries, a lot of churches have started to offer drive-thru services of rites and blessings.

“It’s a fairly new thing but it’s a way for people who may not have time and want to observe with us before heading into work,” said Tollett. “It’s important to make it easier for them so that they can make their peace with God and prepare for Easter and the resurrection of Christ.”

Tollett’s parishioners are typically in the neighborhood near his church, and since the starting of drive-thru services in 2014, St. Francis may have anywhere between 17 to 25 people, including a family that was appreciative of Tollett’s presence, umbrella and all.

“We did OK today, even with the (rainy) weather as it was… we had about 18 people come through,” he said.

Numerous other churches held services or ashes to-go, including The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Chapel of Sts. Peter & Paul, Christ Church, Pollard United Methodist Church, Fairwood United Methodist Church, First Presbyterian Church, Good Shepherd Episcopal Church, Marvin Methodist Church, and Our Savior’s Lutheran Church.