AMDG
Dear OSJ Family,
Next Wednesday, February 10th, the Church throughout the world begins the sacred season of Lent with the celebration of Ash Wednesday. While it is neither a Solemn Feast Day or a Holy Day of Obligation, Christians will nonetheless flock to churches to be marked with a cross of ashes, the sign of our faith and a reminder of our sinfulness and need for God’s peace and healing. We do this, as we enter into the forty days of Lent our prayer period of preparation for the Church’s great celebration of Easter! At our Ash Wednesday liturgies, blessed ashes, the charred remains of last year’s blessed palms, are applied to our forehead in the sign of the cross as the words, “Remember, you are dust and to dust you shall return” are spoken to us. The other formula that is used, “Turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel” emphasizes our call to continual conversion and holiness of life.
Finally, while there is no rule as to how long we ought to wear our ashes, many Christians choose to wear their ashes for the entirety of the day both as a reminder of their own mortality and as a witness to those around that they are a follower of Christ and are entering into a season of greater fasting, prayer and service to those in need.
Please join us on Ash Wednesday as we begin our Lenten observance at Old Saint Joseph’s with a 12:05pm Mass and again at 7:30pm. All Are Welcome!
Blessings to all for a peaceful, holy and prayerful Lent.
With my esteem and prayers,
© 2016 Fr. Philip A. Florio, S.J.
Pastor
