Ash Wednesday services in McHenry County a time to ‘reset,’ renew faith – including on Valentine’s Day

As the Rev. Mark Buetow led Ash Wednesday services in McHenry’s Zion Lutheran Church and School, he spoke to a group of children about God’s love, the symbolism of the crosses smudged on their foreheads and the meaning of Lent.

[ Photo gallery: Ash Wednesday service at Zion Lutheran Church and School in McHenry ]

He spoke about the reality that all people die, and little voices were heard responding, “My grandpa died” and “My grandma died.”

Buetow in turn said that this season and the crosses on their foreheads symbolize sin, God’s promise that they are forgiven, and that they and their loved ones will be resurrected.

[Lent is a time for] renewal to get back to the basics of our faith.”

—  The Rev. Robert Jones, pastor at St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church

Later, he said, when wiping away the ashes, people should think of it as a kind of baptism where they are wiping away sin.

“Ash Wednesday starts a special season in the church,” he said. “Ash Wednesday starts the season of repentance. Lent is a good time to remember Jesus is king.”

In an interview before Wednesday’s service, Buetow said that he had joked since Ash Wednesday fell on Valentine’s Day this year, he could have smudged hearts on foreheads.

But the symbol of a cross holds a much more meaningful love, as it represents “the love of Jesus,” he said.

The Rev. Robert Jones, pastor at St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church, which has two locations in Crystal Lake, said he, too, joked that he could have put hearts for Valentine’s Day on foreheads.

“Some people may be thinking I would put little hearts on people’s heads. Obviously, a heart is a symbol of love,” Jones said. “But the cross is a greater symbol of a deeper love because Christ gave his life for us.”

Jones said there were six services throughout the day at the two churches, and he was expecting about 2,000 people to come through.

The ashes, which are made from blessed, dried palms, symbolize “the love that our Lord has for us and the extent of his sacrifice for us,” Jones said.

Buetow said Ash Wednesday, being the start of Lent, is less about giving up something and more about adding time to pray, worship Jesus and perform good deeds for others.

“Lent is a good time to not think about ourselves but to give up something in order to do something for someone else,” Buetow said.

Jones said Lent is a time of “renewal, to get back to the basics of our faith.”

After Wednesday’s morning service at Zion Lutheran, the children scurried off to recess.

Among them was 5-year-old Zeppelin McDermott, who was wearing a red headband with hearts attached to it as she walked with Jennel Lawson, a teacher’s aide.

Lawson said she has been honoring Ash Wednesday and the season of Lent since she was a child with her grandma.

“I have a deep connection to [the fact] that somebody gave his life for us so we could have a better life,” Lawson said. “It is a reminder we need to give something for him. We don’t give enough.”

All bundled up and ready to go play outside, Ari Perez, 8, of Woodstock, said she had not yet thought of what she would be giving up for Lent. She said she has honored Ash Wednesday for the past seven years.

“It’s very nice to feel the presence of Jesus with everyone here at church,” Ari said.

Her friend Abbie Gullo, 9, of McHenry, said Ash Wednesday and the cross on her forehead “makes me very happy.”

“I love thinking about Jesus,” she said. “He’s our savior, and he died on the cross for us.”

Brandy Curtis, administrative assistant at the church and a congregation member, said: “It is not about what you give up. It is about what you do extra.”