Taverner
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Wed Feb-25-09 09:36 PM
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DU Catholics: What's the "ash" in Ash Wednesday supposed to signify? |
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Is it a incense thing? Or is it everyday wood ash?
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yewberry
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Wed Feb-25-09 09:38 PM
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1. It's supposed to be the ashes of the palms |
Lucian
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Wed Feb-25-09 09:39 PM
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2. But what does it represent? |
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What's the purpose behind the ash? I've always wondered this myself.
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yewberry
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Wed Feb-25-09 09:54 PM
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11. Penitence for sin and humility. |
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I think it refers to old traditions of ash and dust as part of rites of penitence. The Bible is full of them.
"Remember man that thou art dust and unto dust thou shalt return." Do they still say that in church on Ash Wednesday?
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DemBones DemBones
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Wed Feb-25-09 09:40 PM
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3. Penitence and mortality. The ashes are made from |
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last year's Palm Sunday palms.
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Taverner
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Wed Feb-25-09 09:41 PM
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4. So what is the connection with palm ashes and penitence and morality? |
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Sorry If I'm overthinking this
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DemBones DemBones
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Wed Feb-25-09 09:49 PM
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8. In the Bible, penitents wore sackcloth and put |
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ashes on their heads. Today, the priest makes a cross (symbol of hope and Resurrection) on your forehead with the ashes while saying "Remember, man, that thou art dust, and unto dust thou shalt return," reminding us of our mortality. That they are palm ashes ties us back to Palm Sunday, the beginning of the Passion of the Christ (not just a movie) so that we are reminded that Palm Sunday and Easter will come again. We also do penance by not eating meat and fasting on Ash Wednesday.
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Taverner
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Wed Feb-25-09 09:51 PM
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LeftyMom
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Wed Feb-25-09 09:43 PM
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Taverner
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Wed Feb-25-09 09:50 PM
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OmahaBlueDog
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Wed Feb-25-09 09:48 PM
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6. According to Mrs. OBD (Catholic Obama supporter and Reagan hater) |
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The ashes are dust, and signify that, unto dust, we shall return.
Hey -- she just got back from Mass 10 min ago.
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Taverner
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Wed Feb-25-09 09:49 PM
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7. Ahhhh that makes sense |
ogneopasno
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Wed Feb-25-09 10:01 PM
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12. It's usually made from last year's palms, but when I was a kid in CCD (post-Vatican II catechism), |
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we would have an Ash Wednesday service and write our sins on little pieces of paper that were then burned and used for the ashes.
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LostinVA
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Wed Feb-25-09 10:14 PM
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13. The ash is the ashes of the palms from Palm Sunday and chrism |
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It signifies penitence and humility... and the hope of repentance and resurrection.
So s[ales the ex-CCD teacher (me!).
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