Why Do You Get Ashes On Ash Wednesday
Camila Farah
So this lent as you go to ash wednesday and try to keep those ashes on your forehead even though they may itch or feel uncomfortable remember what the ashes represent.
Remember you are dust and to dust you shall return. As you know jesus retreated into the wilderness and fasted for forty days to prepare for his ministry. What s the reason for ashes on ash wednesday. In recent years several churches have put a new spin on the traditional ash wednesday service by providing what has been called ashes to go in this new take on an ancient practice a pastor.
The ashes come from the burnt palms from last year s passion sunday celebration which begins holy week. The use of ashes for repentance and penance can be traced even further back and is practiced throughout the world. When receiving ashes on their foreheads parishioners hear the words. A personal act of remembrance and as a sign or a witness for others.
The ashes symbolize both death and repentance. The ashes used on ash wednesday are meant to represent dust. Ashes are an ominous sign and we use them on ash wednesday to remind ourselves of our own impending deaths. And if death is coming we need to be prepared and the time to prepare for death is now and the way to prepare is to live according to god s ways.
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Even if you don t get ashes yourself on that day you ll likely see some of the people around you with smudged black crosses on their foreheads. A turning away from sin and towards our need for a savior. The ashes are sprinkled with holy water usually fragranced with incense and blessed using four prayers that are thousands of years old. By observing lent most christians join jesus on his retreat.
Lent consists of the forty days before easter. It is done for two reasons.
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