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This information is intended for parents of school-age children and teachers who are imparting Religious Education within a Catholic school environment.
ASH WEDNESDAY
The contents of these documents are related to the present day teaching of the Catholic Church in relation to Doctrine, Liturgy and Catholic practices. There are also special sections on Catholic Marriage and arranging a funeral in the Catholic Church.
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The bible tells us that wearing sackcloth and ashes was a common way of showing repentance. But the distribution of ashes, in Christian circles, owes its origin to a ceremony that goes back many centuries.
Christians who had committed grave faults performed public penance. On Ash Wednesday, the bishop blessed the hair shirts that they were to wear during the forty days of penance, and sprinkled over them ashes made from the palms from the previous year. Then, while the faithful recited the Seven Penitential Psalms, the penitents were turned out of the church because of their sins - just as Adam, the first man, was turned out of Paradise because of his disobedience. The penitents did not enter the church again until Maundy Thursday after having achieved reconciliation by the toil of forty days ' penance and by sacramental absolution. Later, all Christians, whether public or secret penitents, came to receive ashes out of devotion. In earlier times, the distribution of ashes was followed by a penitential procession.
The ashes are made from the blessed palms used in the Palm Sunday celebration of the previous year.
They are "christened" with Holy Water and are scented by exposure to incense. Sometimes oil is mixed with them to help them stick to the forehead.
While the ashes symbolise penance and contrition, they are also a reminder that God is gracious and merciful tothose who call on him with repentant hearts. His mercy is something we concentrate on particularly during the season of Lent, and the Church calls on us to seek that mercy during the entire Lenten season with reflection, prayer and penance.In the Roman Catholic tradition Ash Wednesday is a day of Fast and Abstinence. Abstinence means that we do not eat flesh meat on that day. Fasting means just that, not eating the usual amount of daily food. Some people ask for guidance: two collations or light meals and one normal meal is the recommendation. The only other day of Fast and Abstinence is Good Friday!
As Lent begins we are once more offered to the chance to ponder what is on offer from our God: we can followillusion and passing pleasure or we can set our sights on a treasure that will never perish. We have forty days torenew our commitment.
