Jonah began to go into the city, going a day’s walk. After Jonah (finally!) did what the Lord asked of him, and called on the people of Nineveh to repent, the king of Nineveh covered himself with sackcloth and sat in ashes (Jonah 3:6) as a sign of mourning and to show repentance for his sins. A good example of this is in the Book of Jonah. The first reason for receiving ashes is that it connects us to people throughout Scripture who regarded ashes as a symbol of mourning and repentance.
Why Ashes? They are a Sign of Mourning and Repentance So, why do it? Why do we have a day set aside in our liturgical calendar to remind ourselves of this? It seems kind of morbid, doesn’t it? But there are several reasons why it is not only important for us to do this, but also why so many Christians find it such a meaningful act. Kneeling at the altar, eyes closed, leaning forward in trust, it was very emotional for me to trace a cross in ashes on their foreheads as I gently spoke these words: “ Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return.” I still remember my first Ash Wednesday as a pastor, over twenty years ago now, and especially imposing the ashes on the foreheads of my wife and children (who were 6 and almost 3 at the time). Joel 2:1Īsh Wednesday brings back many memories for me. Lent is also a time when Catholics are enjoined to do good works, fast and pray.ĭuring Ash Wednesday, the faithful have their foreheads marked with ashes (from the burnt palm fronds) as a sign of penance.The worship service itself is very moving, beginning with a powerful reading from the prophet Joel:īlow the trumpet in Zion sound the alarm on my holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of the LORD is coming, it is near. The ashes to be smeared on the crown signify our repentance from sin, which has marred the grace of Baptism," it futher read.ĬBCP-ECL said the formula for the imposition of ashes "Repent, and believe in the Gospel," or "Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return" is said only once "applying it to all in general."ĭue to the large number of people who will come to church for the imposition of ashes, the CBCP-ECL said, enough ministers and ashes as well as the compliance to health protocols must be ensured.Ĭatholics observe the start of the Lenten season on Ash Wednesday. "In Baptism, we have been anointed on the crown of the head. "We have been reminded last year that this option is an opportunity to catechize our people on both the penitential and baptismal characters of the Lenten season," the CBCP-ECL recommendations for Ash Wednesday, Holy Week and Paschal Triduum observance read. But the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines Episcopal Commission on Liturgy said the sprinkling of ashes on the crown will remain an option.
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