ASH WEDNESDAY.

UUULENTUUU

Jesus retreated into the wilderness,

Fasted for forty days to prepare for his ministry.

It was for Him a time of contemplation, reflection, and preparation.

By observing Lent, most Christians join Jesus on His retreat.

Lent consists of the forty days before Easter.

In the western Church,

We skip over the Sundays when we count the days of Lent,

Because Sunday is a celebration of the Resurrection__

And thus being a joyous occasion 

Therefore__

The first day of Lent in the western Church is always a Wednesday.

Biblical societies relied very heavily on wood fires,

For heating and cooking,

Which, meant keeping ashes under control__

Was a major housekeeping task?

Then as now, if a person was preoccupied with something serious,

They didn’t always tend to the housekeeping__

It was the least of their concerns.

Imagine that there is a death in the family.

A friend stopping by to pay their respects might gently say,

"Did you know you have ashes on your face?"

So ashes became a sign of remorse, repentance, and mourning.

Today someone might wear a black armband,

To signify that they are in mourning,

Back then people put ashes on their foreheads Ash Wednesday

Ash Wednesday, in the Western Church,

The first day of Lent, is the seventh Wednesday before Easter.

On this day ashes are placed on the forehead__

Of the faithful to remind them of death,

Of the sorrow they should feel for their sins,

Of the necessity to make changes in their lives.

The practice, which dates from the early Middle Ages,

It is common among Roman Catholics,

Anglicans, Episcopalians, and many Lutherans;

Some Methodists and Presbyterians also adopted it in the 1990s.

01:53 - Thursday, February 22, 2007 - post comment