Ash Wednesday

Next Wednesday, 25 February 2009 is ASH Wednesday.

What is ASH Wednesday?

The first day of Lent is known as Ash Wednesday and occurs forty days before Easter (excluding Sundays). It falls on a different date each year, because it is dependent on the date of Easter; it can occur as early as February 4 or as late as March 10.

Christians use them as a symbol of being sorry for things they have done wrong and want to get rid of forever. In many Christian churches there are special services where the vicar or priest makes the shape of a cross with ash on the forehead of each person.

The ashes come from last year's palm crosses which are burned and mixed with holy water.

Lent to the Christian, particularly Catholics, is what Ramadan is to the Muslims. While the Muslim goes on a forty day fasting period before Hari Raya Puasa, the Catholic observes fasting and abstinance throughout the same period , albeit with much lesser intensity, and only on certain days of the week, particularly Wednesday and Friday.

Catholics generally abstain from consuming meat, although fish and seafood are acceptable substitutes, on most Wednesdays and Fridays. The more devout ones would live on bread and water on these days.

Ash Wednesday gets its name from the practice of placing ashes on the foreheads of the faithful as a sign of repentance. The ashes used are gathered after the Palm Crosses from the previous year's Palm Sunday are burned.

In the liturgical practice of some churches, the ashes are mixed with the Oil of the Catechumens[1] (one of the sacred oils used to anoint those about to be baptized), though some churches use ordinary oil. This paste is used by the clergyman who presides at the service to make the sign of the cross, first upon his own forehead and then on each of those present who kneel before him at the altar rail.

As he does so, he recites the words: "Remember (O man) that you are dust, and to dust you shall return."

This is to remind us that we are living a temporal phase here on earth and everything we possess here on earth are nothing more than vanity of the temporal.

We are reminded that there is an after-life, a higher life, that of the soul, which is eternal and must be looked after with more fervour and holiness than the temporary abode that is the body.

This will be the common focus of Catholics during these forty days leading up to Easter.

Easter is the biggest day in the Catholic calender. It tells of victory over death and it is the hope of the resurrected life that every Catholic clings to, that makes them and drives them, to seek holiness.