An Ash Wednesday “Hymn”?

ByJames K. A. Smith

It’s probably a sign of my malformation, but at the imposition of ashes this morning this Edward Sharpe lyric came to mind (listen to it here):

I was only five when my dad told me I’d die
I cried as he said son, was nothing could be done
Now all the fists I’ve thrown just tryin to prove him wrong
After all the blood I spilled just tryin to get killed

Cuz I’ve already suffered I want you to know God
I’m ridin on hell’s hot flames comin up from below

Air, o, wind and rain blowing out my window pain
Drugs just drug me down killin light killin sound

But now I’ve already suffered I want you to know God
Im ridin on Hell’s hot flames comin up from below
Yes I’ve already suffered I want you to know God
I’m riding on Heaven’s flames coming up from below

Far from below – how high can we go

To all the love I lost – hey just tryin to play boss
To all those friends I hurt – I treated em like dirt
And all those words I spewed – Nothin sacred nothing true!
To all these Ghosts I turn – I’m ready now to Burn!

Cuz I’ve already suffered I want you to know God
I’m ridin on hell’s hot flames coming up from below
Yes I’ve already suffered I want you to know God
I’m ridin of heaven’s flames coming up from below

Far – From below – how high can we go.

The ashes mean nothing if they don’t speak of our mortality (and, of course, the death of Christ and hence the atonement). And so I think these lyrics came to mind because their opening reminds me of what we need to hear–what I, strangely, want to hear–in worship on Ash Wednesday: “You are going to die. And you are going to be judged. And there is a hell. And, yes, this should worry you.” Otherwise Easter is just the culmination of our self-realizations, the cuddly affirmation of our own projects.

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