Ash Wednesday

"Ashes to Ashes We All Fall Down!"

Leave it to the Catholics to make us walk around for a day with the guilt ridden reminder on our foreheads that we will DIE.


Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent. It is considered sacramental to receive the Ashes but is not a mandatory Holy Day of Obligation. Although, it is Greatly encouraged to attend mass.

During this mass Psalm 51 is usually read from the Bible, there is mention of humanity being fallible, & the need of atoning for our sins.

Yadda yadda...

The "goody bag" of the mass is:
Getting the Ashes!

The Priest takes the Ashes which
are made from the burnt palms of the previous year and blessed with holy water, using his right thumb makes the sign of the cross on our forehead.

The Priest then says these words:

"Remember that thou art dust, and to dust thou shalt return."
—Genesis 3:19

This cross of Ash is to be worn on our foreheads until it "naturally"
comes off. The purpose of it is as a reminder of our mortality, and as a sign of repentance to God.

Keeping the Ashes on is a sign of humility.

When I was in Catholic School,
Father Shields was the Priest you Did Not Want to get blessing you with the Ashes. He would leave a BIG cross on your head and dig in deep to make sure it stayed long after a day.

& We got our Ashes in the early am which meant we had to go an entire day with the smudge above our brows!

If you are lucky you can go to a late mass then only have to wear it for the night ;)

Today, even if you don't get Ashed use this time to reflect on your mortality. Not necessarily in a morbid way! More in a You are ALIVE way :)

Xoxo

Ps: I learned Catholics aren't the only ones who practice Ash Wednesday, other Christians do as well! Like the Lutherans Anglicans & Methodists.