Ash Wednesday is the official start of the Lent season. Lent is a forty day season, excluding Sundays, to prepare and meditate about the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Roman Catholicism uses ashes on Ash Wednesday. Ashes are a tradition in
Catholicism. During the Ash Wednesday Mass or service, the priest places
ashes on the middle of people's forehead if they want. This might sound
a bit unusual, however, there is meaning behind it.
Ashes are an ancient symbol meaning repentance. Catholics repent for our
sins. Having ashes reminds us that we need to apologize to God for
sinning. Many Catholics attend confession during Lent.
Another reason for the ashes is to remind us that one day we are going
to die. Our physical bodies will turn to dust, however, our souls will
return to God. The ashes are a physical reminder that what how we live
our life matters. We will not be on Earth forever, but our souls never
die.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
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