Ash Wednesday

 

ASH WEDNESDAY*

Even now, says the Lord, return to Me with your whole heart ...

 Blow the trumpet in Zion; sanctify a fast;
call a solemn assembly; gather the people.
Sanctify the congregation; assemble the aged;
gather the children, even infants at the breast. - Joel 2:12+ 

 

 

 

  

 

 "See that you get ready for confession

and Holy Communion, so that you may be

resurrected in grace with Christ Jesus."

 

 

St Catherine of Siena 

 

 

 

 

Ash Wednesday, Julian Falat (1853-1929, Poland)

 

 

*Ash Wednesday is solemnly observed by the Church to mark the beginning of

the forty days of penance in the Lenten season. The faithful who attends the

Mass on this day will be marked on the forehead with a cross of ashes as a sign

of conversion, penance, fasting and human mortality.

The marking of the forehead with a cross made of ashes reminds each

churchgoer that (1) God made the first human being by breathing life into dust,

and without God, human beings are nothing more than dust and ashes,

(2) the phrases often used when the ashes are administered remind Christians

of the doctrine of original sin and (3) the cross of ashes may symbolize the

way Christ's sacrifice on the cross as atonement for sin replaces the Old

Testament tradition of making burnt offerings to atone for sin. As the ashes

are being administered, the priest utters one of the following phrases:

"Turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel."

"Remember (O man) that you are dust, and unto dust you shall return."

"Repent, and hear the good news."

 

And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him;

and a threefold cord is not quickly broken. ~Ecclesiastes 4:12

 

During Lent, we are called to prayer, fasting and almsgiving. They are the "three-fold cord" spoken of in Ecclesiastes 4:12. Satan will not prevail against us if we follow Christ's call to use this three-fold cord as a basis for our Christian walk.