Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Got Ashes?





If you are a good Catholic you made time in your busy day to attend mass and receive your ashes marked in the shape of a cross on your forehead. The ashes come from burning the blessed palm branches used during the Palm Sunday celebration of the previous year. The marking of the foreheads with ashes symbolizes that the person belongs to Jesus Christ, who died on the cross and rose again from the dead three days later. Then, to choose what you will give up for Lent: that is, give up something for forty days until Easter as a form of penance or self sacrifice.

When I was growing up, if my family didn't make it out to mass,we would come across a "Good Catholic" and simply "borrow" some of their ashes and apply them to our forehead. In retrospect, this seems so unethical.. . . I hope God still loves us♥!

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