Fifteen years ago, I went to a noontime Ash Wednesday Mass at a Catholic church in downtown La Crosse.
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By medieval times, it had been established as a regular day of observance in the Christian year. Ashes are placed in the sign of the cross on a person’s forehead as a reminder that “from dust you came, and to dust you shall return”-a reminder that our lives are short and we must live them to the fullest”. The ash used for Ash Wednesday is made of palm branches used on the previous Palm Sunday, when Christians carry palms in a nod to the Gospels’ reference to Jesus’ path being covered in palm fronds on the day he entered Jerusalem.
Examples might involve helping in your community or at your church or school. People in Acadiana are aware of the powerful temptations they face and they are very much aware of their own mortality.
“During the Lenten season, Christians are encouraged to intensify prayers, observe abstinence, fasting and alms giving”.
No. Many churches have their own Ash Wednesday service, which involves the imposition of the ashes, including Episcopal, Methodist and Lutheran churches.
For many Christians in America and Canada, Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent.
There are then the cheeky people who opt to use the boxes for their personal savings instead of giving the money to charity.
Today, on Ash Wednesday, let’s embrace forgiveness, understanding, and most of all – one another.
Lent is the 40 day long penitential period in the Catholic Church immediately prior to the Paschal Feast (Easter) the greatest feast in the Church.
Seay said he’s held the philosophy about Lent for a while.
“Ashes and Dashes is about bringing the important traditions of our faith out from behind church walls and into our daily routine”, says Pastor Mark Edwards, who leads this ministry at Emmanuel.
“It is a spiritual period, a period to follow the footsteps of Jesus Christ, I will be prayerful this period, I prayer God to help me, ” Okorie said.
“I think we need that”, he said. Ministers will be available from 7 a.m. until 1 p.m. Other churches are offering “drive through” ashes, letting motorists receive ashes without leaving their vehicles.
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Church of the Resurrection clergy members will offer Ashes to Go at Southern Towers near the corner of Seminary Road and Beauregard, from 6:30 – 8:30 a.m.
