First Ash Wednesday Service

[KeenanParkerII]

Awesome service. Both of our priests are in other countries right now, so we had another come in to do the Mass, and he was really great. We got lots of prayer in, it's a beautiful morning. What more can I ask for..

I did get one dirty look on my way home. I dunno what her deal was, but she saw the ash cross and stared at me. So I smiled at her until she turned around.

[quote]I took a New Testament Lit. class in college once, and the instructor there also mentioned that those who get ashes should promptly remove them from their foreheads before going back outside. He said something about it possibly allowing one to brag about their devotion, or something along those lines. That comment didn't affect me, though. Just thought I'd mention that it was said.[/quote]

What what WHAttt.. I'm inclined to think that we should keep them on, especially if we're embarrassed. We have to keep reminding those pagans that we're out there.. waiting to assimilate them.

[Marie-Therese]

Since I live in a largely non-Catholic area, I always get the "hey, you have something on your face" question. I simply treat it as an opportunity to tell people what the season of Lent represents and about my Catholic faith. Most people here are Protestants so they generally understand it but have no concept of penance, so I try to be humble and use it as an opportunity to gently evangelize. I often wondered scrupulously if the ashes being visible to others would be violating the admonition to pray in secret, but since I am not a person who is usually comfortable in the role of evangelist, I take it as a mortification of my pride and an opportunity to spread the gospel.

[Noel's angel]

Try going to the only Catholic school in a Protestant town in Northern Ireland on Ash Wednesday...that was scary....

[BG45]

LOL. I got "What's that on your forehead" three times today. Each time once I got to "Well it's Ash Wednesday and-" I would get cut off by a sudden realization of understanding on the other person's part, along with comments about there being no way we could be so close to Easter already.

[rhetoricfemme]

It was a great service! My son, Edward, did really well, too! He was a happy baby and decided to sing along as opposed to crying at any point. He got his ashes, too, and promptly wiped them on my shirt. But, yeah. It was a great start to a new season in life.

[BG45]

Good.