Ash Wednesday

I am not certain if I use to attend Ash Wednesday mass during my elementary years but I am pretty sure I do since high school. Observing Catholic norms and activities became more apparent to me especially during our Christian Living classes in high school.  Since I finished high school in a Catholic institution, the said mass is held in our school. During college in a secular university, I attend the mass at St. Therese Chapel in the afternoon. As for this year’s, my mom and I, went to the mass early in the morning at Virgen de las Flores Quasi Church in our place. Of course, the homily dealt with the importance of the event. As we all know, it marks the start of the Lent Season. Much more of penance and fasting, it indicates a period of reflection and spiritual conversion to prepare us all for the coming of Jesus Christ on Easter.

The Ash

A week before, the parochial or quasi priest may ask the community church-goers to bring their year-old blessed palms (palaspas) from the previous Palm Sunday. These are burned into ashes and then sanctified with Holy Water and incense. The ashes are used in marking a cross in our foreheads to remind us the sense of humility and sacrifice Jesus has shown us during his time. Out of devotion, the contemporary people receive ashes as reminded by the homily’s message: “Man came from dust and to dust shall he return”. The mortal life passes away and eternity shall be achieved in peace and sacrifice we are living for.