ash wednesday

You're not Catholic? Don't get why we have Ash Wednesday and put ashes on our foreheads? Here's answers to that question that I hope does help. :D

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There are those Catholics who check in for services on Christmas and Easter twice a year and pretend they’re visiting from out of town. Then there are those Catholics who choose to go the extra mile and attend Mass on Ash Wednesday, thus increasing their holiness by nearly 50%. It is a not-so-subtle way of proving you’ve been to Mass and works better than showing off a Sunday bulletin.

The use of ash is a “delible” sign of our mortality and the dust that we shall return to. The tradition that man is dust stretches way back to Adam, who, like Flint Marko, was actually was made out of dust, and to Abraham who interceded for Sodom and prayed, “Behold, I have taken upon myself to speak to the Lord, I who am but dust and ashes.” Of course the joyful prophets and other fun Old Testament characters like Job and Mordecai used ashes and sackcloth in their daily devotions. While Jeremiah and Ezekiel were wallowing in ash, the even more penitential King David says in Psalm 102 that he ate ash like it was bread. No doubt he was using a Hamilton Beach toaster.

The solemn use of ash was also popular in the early church and was used to mark those who had been temporarily excommunicated for committing serious sins. By the 7^th century the practice had become associated with the first day of Lent. Sinners would confess their sins privately to a bishop and then be enrolled in the ranks of the penitents for public absolution. Wearing ash and sackcloth, these people would be expelled from the community like Adam and Eve from the garden, and their penance and abstinence would last the forty days of lent.

Modern Catholics believe that cleanliness is next to godliness and that dressing well honors our bodies as temples of the Holy Spirit. Needless to say, wearing potato sacks and dumping ash on our heads at the doors of our parish for forty days is seldom seen these days. What we have retained is the practice of marking our foreheads with ash made from the burned palms of the previous Passion Sunday. Some delicate people prefer to receive the ash from a woman with small fingers while the more zealous beeline for the man with the giant thumb. At one local parish the priest beams when he gives ash to bald men. To him it means a bigger forehead and he uses the whole canvas.

In Mexico City the Faithful are so enthusiastic (and numerous) that the inventive Franciscans had to develop a new way of distributing ashes to shorten the service. They mix the ash with a measure of holy oil to make it more paste-like and less dusty. Then they have 6-8 people stand side-by-side while they stamp their foreheads with a special tool. This stamp is not available from any church goods supplier and it is rumored that each Friar must build his own as a rite of passage, like a Jedi builds his lightsaber. An experienced priest can stamp up to 10 heads while saying the words from Genesis, “Recuerda, hombre, que eres ceniza y en ceniza te convertirás”.

The New Testament tells us to not to look dismal when we fast and to wash our faces so that our sacrifices are known by God and not by men. If it is hard to reconcile ash and sackcloth with Matthew 16 then perhaps it is time go shopping. You could always try Sak’s Fifth Ave where they specialize in the latest in Catholic penitential fashion, like this classy sack cloth halter top.

www.stuffcatholicslike.com

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Q: Where in the Bible do we get the “ashes” thing from – like on Ash Wednesday? What does it have to do with Lent and why do we still do it? Is it just because of tradition? It seems kind of outdated to put dirt on our foreheads and walk around so I know there must be deeper reason. Can you help me Bible Geek?

Great question. The "ashes thing" meaning is twofold…

First, it reminds us that we were physically created from nothingness, from the ground (the dirt or the dust in some translations):

“…the LORD God formed man out of the clay of the ground and blew into his nostrils the breath of life, and so man became a living being.” - Genesis 2:7

Next, the ashes remind us that not only did we begin as dirt, but that we’re pretty much gonna end up that way…again, physically:

“By the sweat of your face shall you get bread to eat, until you return to the ground, from which you were taken; for you are dirt, and to dirt you shall return.” - Genesis 3:19

Yes, it is a tradition. You revealed a good point, though, because if we don’t understand the significance of the tradition, it may just seem like a meaningless, outdated practice, which it really is not. It is a beautiful and humble action, that links us to our brothers and sisters in Christ who have gone before us in faith (died and risen with Christ in Heaven). One thing I always want to remind myself, however, and that I always try to caution others on is that just because we don’t understand something does not make it “meaningless” or “outdated” – like many people in modern culture sometimes make the mistake of believing. Ashes, fasting, self-sacrifice, repentance and penance are all actions that draw us to God, both spiritually and physically – (just like participation in the Sacraments). These kinds of activities are found in several places throughout the Sacred Scriptures. To name a few:

“Is this the manner of fasting I wish, of keeping a day of penance: That a man bow his head like a reed, and lie in sackcloth and ashes? Do you call this a fast, a day acceptable to the LORD?” - Isaiah 58:5

“Taking off her splendid garments, she put on garments of distress and mourning. In place of her precious ointments she covered her head with dirt and ashes. She afflicted her body severely; all her festive adornments were put aside, and her hair was wholly disheveled.” - Esther 4 C:13

“Tamar put ashes on her head and tore the long tunic in which she was clothed. Then, putting her hands to her head, she went away crying loudly.” - 2 Samuel 13:19

“Judith threw herself down prostrate, with ashes strewn upon her head, and wearing nothing over her sackcloth. While the incense was being offered in the temple of God in Jerusalem that evening, Judith prayed to the Lord with a loud voice…” - Judith 9:1

As you can see, the practice of using ashes within repentance is Biblical and dates back thousands of years.

Put simply, in our modern context and within the Ash Wednesday liturgies, ashes still have a lot of meaning:

- Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the season of Lent, our preparation for Holy Week, most especially the Triduum, Good Friday, Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday.

- We receive ashes upon our foreheads (in the shape of a cross) to serve as a visible, outward sign of our sinfulness and our need for repentance.

- The ashes are a symbol of our physical mortality, reminding us that some day our bodies are going to die and return to dust – reminding us further that it is our souls that are eternal. That is why most parishes utter the prayer, “Thou (you) art (are) dust, and to dust thou (you) shall return.”

Lent kicks…ash.
C’mon…that was funny.

-Bible Geek

www.lifeteen.com

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Lent has started on Wednesday. That kind of brought up feelings of need to repair my relationships with people, myself and ultimately God. It is high time I do something about being a better Catholic and truly live out my faith.

Happy Vegetarian Month to all Catholics. ;)

sitting tall

messing up here and there is okay. but messing up the whole time, is a big big big big problem. something we all deal with i guess. but remember the key thing about messing up and getting into a situation you hate. remember to always LOVE, LOVE, LOVE yourself.

I have been there; the whole 'ihatemyself' phase. its a painful place to be. You want out but inside, there is a comfort in hating who you are. but the thing is, we are who we are for a reason. we make mistakes, we screw up. Yet try seeing the positive side of things. Try to think of something else that makes you feel better. Get that Energizer bunny going. you can do it! You definitely can.

Love who you are.
Love your glitches.
Love your quirks.

Love yourself.

hello goodbye?

Hello everyone.

I know I have not updated anything since I came back from camp. It was great and that's all I'm at liberty to say.

Just a silly little announcement that will matter to only 2 people or so; I'm officially on hiatus from :cough:. I just need a little time without it. It may be permanent, or it may be temporarily. We'll see how it goes right? I love all of you dearly and yes, we are as always, friends. I need to re-sort my priorities and I need to be without :cough: i hope you understand.

Exams are next week!! It is so soon. I don't want to flunk anything again. Gosh. Priorities!!

camp horror

tomorrow is camp. joy.

:/ i have no idea what to expect. i don't want to go really but i don't have a choice. gosh. 3 days with people that well, don't accept me. Lord have mercy. i won't be online till sunday night. so. erm. well. bye

-*-*-*-*-

Today is another day.
Tomorrow won't be the same.

I hope and pray that my camp time in IJ Convent, Cheras will be alright. I don't mind going for retreats. Its just that my classmates and I are not close. There is and probably always will be a gap between us. I'm new, I get that. But still, it sucks being the weird one out. I wonder what strange and inane activities we'll be doing tomorrow.

I feel so uncomfortable right now. I wish I didn't have camp. I can only hope hope hope hope hope hope hope hope for the best. ><

its only life

Review for Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2.

point one: i loved the books so this may be a little biased. :)

again, we have four best friends, a pair of pants and life. sound familiar? of course not. -_- no one in the WHOLE WORLD (i think) has shared pants with four friends.


ANYWAY

I actually liked the movie better than the first because somehow this felt more real to me. I am at a point in my life where friends don't get along and we all simply fall apart sometimes. We fight, we don't share things with one another. Its not a surprise the story is much more matured than the first seeing as the girls are in college now. College... next year! see how much I can relate with this movie? Its about finding time for your friends although you're in different worlds. Its about being able to step up and step out when you are given a chance. Its about being brave enough to see someone or tell them the truth. Its about dealing with the consequences of your choices.

SotTP has been quite an influence (in a way) to the CoF. Its been an inspiration and sometimes a guide. Life as the movie shows us, isn't always perfect. People screw up, people make mistakes, people fall apart. Yet we can be there for those we love. We have to make time to balance our new lives and to make sure we are part of the other's life. We take things one step at a time. Fix things one at a time. Give every moment your undivided attention.

Life is a miserable ball of deception and bliss. But as the main theme song of this movie by Kate Voegele says "Its only life".

QOUTE OF THE DAY: Not everyone you love is going to leave you.
Rating: 4/5

:)

I'm Cora.
Take Which Lock and Key Character Are You? today!
Created with Rum and Monkey's Personality Test Generator.

You've always had to be the responsible one. It wasn't like anyone else was stepping up, right? But those who have broken through to you know there's a lot more to you than your stiff upper lip. Like a warm heart, a beautiful voice, and someone we could all use in our corner, every day.

what the world needs now..

YELLOW!!!

this is Sam.
she's a koala. obviously. she was saved from the Australian fires by that guy up there.
and yes, she's holding his hand.

the koala (on the top) is Bob. He was also saved from the fire. He's now Sam's boyfriend. She's the one at the bottom of the picture with her paws bandaged.

even koalas find ♥♥♥♥♥. cute. :)

ikan cium ikan. hehehehehe.
:p

my valentines. :D

another two of them.

CHIHUAHUAHUAHUAHUAHUAHUAHUA!!!! :p


WHEEEEE. me ♥♥♥!

okay. clearly this post is more about my love for doggies than anything else. hehehehe.
ta-ta.

martyrdom of st. valentine

Every February, across the country, candy, flowers, and gifts are exchanged between loved ones, all in the name of St. Valentine. But who is this mysterious saint and why do we celebrate this holiday? The history of Valentine's Day — and its patron saint — is shrouded in mystery. But we do know that February has long been a month of romance. St. Valentine's Day, as we know it today, contains vestiges of both Christian and ancient Roman tradition. So, who was Saint Valentine and how did he become associated with this ancient rite? Today, the Catholic Church recognizes at least three different saints named Valentine or Valentinus, all of whom were martyred.

Valentine was a holy priest in Rome, who, with St. Marius and his family, assisted the martyrs in the persecution under Claudius II. He was apprehended, and sent by the emperor to the prefect of Rome, who, on finding all his promises to make him renounce his faith in effectual, commended him to be beaten with clubs, and afterwards, to be beheaded, which was executed on February 14, about the year 270. Pope Julius I is said to have built a church near Ponte Mole to he memory, which for a long time gave name to the gate now called Porta del Popolo, formerly, Porta Valetini. The greatest part of his relics are now in the church of St. Praxedes. His name is celebrated as that of an illustrious martyr in the sacramentary of St. Gregory, the Roman Missal of Thomasius, in the calendar of F. Fronto and that of Allatius, in Bede, Usuard, Ado, Notker and all other martyrologies on this day. To abolish the heathens lewd superstitious custom of boys drawing the names of girls, in honor of their goddess Februata Juno, on the fifteenth of this month, several zealous pastors substituted the names of saints in billets given on this day.

The Origin of St. Valentine

The origin of St. Valentine, and how many St. Valentines there were, remains a mystery. One opinion is that he was a Roman martyred for refusing to give up his Christian faith. Other historians hold that St. Valentine was a temple priest jailed for defiance during the reign of Claudius. Whoever he was, Valentine really existed because archaeologists have unearthed a Roman catacomb and an ancient church dedicated to Saint Valentine. In 496 AD Pope Gelasius marked February 14th as a celebration in honor of his martyrdom.

The first representation of Saint Valentine appeared in a The Nuremberg Chronicle, a great illustrated book printed in 1493. [Additional evidence that Valentine was a real person: archaeologists have unearthed a Roman catacomb and an ancient church dedicated to Saint Valentine.] Alongside a woodcut portrait of him, text states that Valentinus was a Roman priest martyred during the reign of Claudius the Goth [Claudius II]. Since he was caught marrying Christian couples and aiding any Christians who were being persecuted under Emperor Claudius in Rome [when helping them was considered a crime], Valentinus was arrested and imprisoned. Claudius took a liking to this prisoner -- until Valentinus made a strategic error: he tried to convert the Emperor -- whereupon this priest was condemned to death. He was beaten with clubs and stoned; when that didn't do it, he was beheaded outside the Flaminian Gate [circa 269].

Saints are not supposed to rest in peace; they're expected to keep busy: to perform miracles, to intercede. Being in jail or dead is no excuse for non-performance of the supernatural. One legend says, while awaiting his execution, Valentinus restored the sight of his jailer's blind daughter. Another legend says, on the eve of his death, he penned a farewell note to the jailer's daughter, signing it, "From your Valentine."

St. Valentine was a Priest, martyred in 269 at Rome and was buried on the Flaminian Way. He is the Patron Saint of affianced couples, bee keepers, engaged couples, epilepsy, fainting, greetings, happy marriages, love, lovers, plague, travellers, young people. He is represented in pictures with birds and roses.

thanks to->http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=159

of course I had to do this, I love pouring a bucket of cold water on such a day. besides, it is really overrated. Hello? If you loved someone, you'd celebrate them every day. anyway, have a good day celebrating the feast day of the martyrdom of St. Valentine.

to you and you and you

'....'

could it be possible to start the day positively and lose it completely in the first two hours? indeed it is.

to you: thank you very much for the information that I did not care to hear. I don't blame you for talking like that. You are extremely naive and much too young to have enough brain cells to tell you what to say and what not to. By the way, what you thought was 'words of comfort' to try subdue the sting of your previous comment was much worse. I hope you know never to play with the big girls. I could squash you if I wanted to. don't push it.

to you: from what your number one fan has told me, you can go to the core of the earth and sit there for eternity. I thought we were okay, clearly I was 100% wrong.

to you: so what? I came to help. You HAD to push me down. You never talk about what I do right. You always mention how I don't measure up. I need you to not air dirty laundry (in this case literally) to the world. there is such thing as TOO MUCH INFORMATION.

gosh today was, well, A DAY! I hated it. It got better towards the end. Wait. it didn't. I don't know what to make of this day. I know I should spend everyday to the full and feel a sense of accomplishment when the day is done but no, not today. Today was just another of THOSE days.

snap!

what's next?

******

complications.

isn't that what its all about? complications. no, my dear people, I am not having a complicated relationship or friendship or any ship for that matter. what would I do with a ship anyway, you tell me!

i think it is high time I embrace the one strategic and fail proof rule of the book (fine, parents and teachers)... the timetable! Maybe I should make one and stick with it. scratch that, I WILL make one and stick with it. I have to. I'm very messed up right now. study wise. I have so much going on its getting complicating. and I can't do complicated when NEXT YEAR I probably won't have nay parents or teachers (who care enough) to guide me.

so my current priority?

make a friggin' timetable and to stick with it.

crap

I am so busy right now I could scream.
but hey, if the pay off is good. why not right? :)

spm is on the 19th of November. holy cow. ><