https://app.dropwave.io/episode/19d590e0-64c3-455a-9f19-94d4692d0274/ash-wednesday-ad-2025.mp3

++ JESU JUVA ++

In the Name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Danger of Hypocrisy

Today’s Gospel deals directly with hypocrisy. Hypocrisy is a kind of pretending. Saying one thing and doing another — that’s hypocrisy. You put on a mask so that no one knows the real you.

But more than playing pretend, the ultimate danger of being a hypocrite is that you deceive yourself — that you convince yourself of your own goodness. That’s why Jesus speaks against the hypocrisy of the Pharisees. They speak and confess God’s law, but His Word does not have its way in their own heart and life.

Becoming a hypocrite is simple: when you hear the law preached, put up your umbrella so it washes off onto others — and you stay nice and dry.

Death Exposes Hypocrisy

But even if you have managed to squirm out from under the law, today you have ashes put on your head. They came with the promise that you, personally and individually — you, the one in your seat, are going to die.

Now I don’t know if you like the imposition of ashes, but I don’t enjoy putting ashes on the people I love and telling them they are going to die. I don’t want to acknowledge your death, and I don’t want to acknowledge mine, either.

But I need to be reminded. As do you.

And more than just the outward sign, these words must go deep into your heart and uncover every bit of your hypocrisy.

You are dust and to dust you shall return… because Adam is your father… and that makes you a sinner. Both by your conception under sin, and by the many sins you daily add.

The Ten Commandments Show Your Sin

For you have transgressed the holy Commandments of God.

God has given you His blessed Name in Holy Baptism, but you have misused the name of the Lord your God. Lips that have received the Body and Blood of Jesus have spoken His name as a curse against your neighbor. Instead, you are to call upon His name in every trouble, to pray to Him, to praise Him and give Him thanks.

You have thought of God’s Word as an insignificant thing — something you can play with or mock. You have become bored with God’s Word, only reading it when it fits into your schedule. Rather, rejoice in God’s Word; gladly come to church.

Consider how you are treating your parents and other authorities. You have despised or mistreated them in your heart. You have spoken rudely to them. You have deemed your time and attention to be too important to give to them. Are you breaking some law or ordinance of the civil government that God has established? Are you being less than honest in filing your taxes?

You have become sinfully angry. You have had outbursts of anger and refused to be patient. You have carried a grudge.

Are you looking to someone who is not your husband or wife as though that person is given to satisfy your lusts? You have failed to be chaste with your body. You have not always spoken highly of holy marriage. You have overeaten. You have sat on the couch and consumed one thing after another — even long after you were satisfied.