02/21/07 Ash Wednesday

Memento Morti - Remember death.

From dust thou art to dust thou shalt return! With this reminder, let us remember our point of destination which is vital in our earthly journey. And today, we ask our Creator to grant eternal rest to a dear friend who left this world to return to where he came from.

Use of Ashes

The use of ashes is believed to have its start in the 16th century by Pope Gregory, the Great.It was a sign of humility and mortality as well as for sorrow and repentance as told in the old Testament. A practice of the church by the 10th century was the receiving of ashes on the head as a reminder of mortality and sign of sorrow for sin. Ashes are from the burnt palm. In the Catholic church, the ashes are put on the forehead in the sign of the cross as a reminder of the anointing with oil in baptism. In other places, ashes are scattered on the top of the head.

All Catholics must observe abstinence and fasting.