REMEMBER YOU ARE DUST AND INTO DUST YOU SHALL RETURN (Genesis 3:19).

1)-THE LITURGY OF ASH WEDNESDAY IS AMONG THE MOST MAJESTIC AND BEAUTIFUL IN THE CALENDAR OF THE CHURCH.

UNDOUBTEDLY, THE ASH WEDNESDAY LITURGY OF THE CHURCH IS MAJESTIC AND MAGNIFICENT IN ITS PRESENTATION OF  A  DOCTRINE NOBODY WANTS TO HEAR. DEATH COMES TO ALL OF US NOT BECAUSE IT IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO, AS I HEARD FROM MANY BISHOPS.  ONE BISHOP IN PARTICULAR TOLD ME “WHO WANTS TO LIVE FOREVER.”  THIS IS NOT THE REASON WHY WE ALL DIE.

2)-DEATH COMES TO EACH ONE OF US AS A PUNISHMENT.  OUR FIRST PARENTS, IN THEIR CONFRONTATION WITH GOD IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN, CHOSE TO DEFY HIS COMMANDMENT TO WORSHIP HIS ETERNAL SOVEREIGNTY.  THEY BELIEVED SATAN’S LIE TO DISOBEY GOD THEY WOULD BECOME THEIR OWN GODS.  May we read satan’s words to our mother Eve in Genesis 3:4-5:

“But the serpent said to the woman:  You certainly will not die!  No, God knows well that the moment you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like gods who know what is good and what is bad.”

3)-DEATH COMES TO US AS A PUSNISHMENT. 

WE ARE THE HEIRS TO OUR FIRST PARENTS’ SIN AGAINST GOD.  WE ARE HEIRS TO THE FOUR PUNISHMENTS GOD PRONOUNCED AGAINST ADAM AND EVE AND THE WHOLE OF MANKIND.  DEATH IS THE FOURTH PUNISHMENT.

4)-ASH WEDNESDAY, ONCE A YEAR, BRINGS TO US A PROFOUND MEDITATION ON THE LOST OF OUR HEAVENLY CALLING THROUGH ADAM AND EVE’S SIN.

ASH WEDNESDAY OPENS UP FOR THE CHRISTIAN WORLD A VERY SPECIAL TIME MOST PROPITIOUS  FOR PENANCE,  MEDITATION AND REPENTANCE:  IT OPENS TO US ALSO THE GRACEFUL TIME OF LENT.   

5)-ASH WEDNESDAY IS ALL ABOUT THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS.  OUR SINS AGAINST THE NEIGHBOURS ALWAYS GO UNNOTICED.

THE APOSTLE SAINT JAMES HELPS US TO MEDITATE ON THIS VERY SPECIAL SIN DURING LENT,  THE SINS OF THE TONGUE.  THE SINS OF THE TONGUE  ARE VERY GRAVE SINS THAT WE MAY COMMIT AND VERY OFTEN WITHOUT THINKING OF THE GRAVITY OF SUCH SINS.  HOW OFTEN WE HAVE DESTROYED REPUTATIONS, WE HAVE CONDEMNED PEOPLE TO POVERTY, SPIRITUAL AND MATERIAL, CONDEMNED TO DEATH!    MAY WE READ WITH PROFOUND ATTENTION THE DIVINE REVELATION ON THE GRAVE SINS OF THE TONGUE ST JAMES GIVES US IN JAMES 3:1-12.  May we read ST JAMES in his own words:  James 3:1-12:

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            “So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet  it boasts of great things.   See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire! 6 And the tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell.  For every species of beasts and birds, of reptiles and creatures of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by the human race.  But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison.   With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God;  from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way.  Does a fountain send out from the same opening both  fresh and bitter water?  Can a fig tree, my brethren, produce olives, or a vine produce figs? Nor can salt water produce fresh.”         James 3:1-12                   

6)-THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS IN THE EARLY CHURCH.

IN THE FIRST CENTURIES OF THE CHURCH,  PERSONS,  WHO WANTED TO RECEIVE THE SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION ON HOLY THURSDAY,  DURING  LENT PRESENTED THEMSELVES TO THE PUBLIC COVERED WITH ASHES.  THEY WERE TO PRESENT THEMSELVES AT THE DOORS OF CHURCHES WITH THEIR PENITENTIAL CLOTHING.  THIS ATTITUDE OF REPENTANCE WAS A PROOF OF THEIR WILLINGNESS TO CONVERT TO JESUS CHRIST.  

7)-IN YEAR 384 YEAR OF THE LORD,

POPE SAINT  SIRICIUS (384-399)  GAVE THE CHURCH A FORCEFUL PAPACY.  WITH THE HELP OF SAINT AMBROSE, BISHOP OF MILAN, HE ENFORCED DISCIPLINE IN THE CHURCH, EASTER AND PENTECOST, THE CLERICAL CONTINENCE AND CELIBACY WITH A PENITENTIAL DISCIPLINE.

THUS, WITH POPE SAINT SIRICIUS,  LENT BECAME A TIMEOF PENANCE FOR ALL CHRISTIANS.  LENT BECAME GENERALLY ACCEPTED AS A VERY SPECIAL PENITENTIAL TIME FOR ALL CHRISTIANS.  IN THE XI CENTURY, THE CHURCH OF ROME, KNOWN AS THE CATHOLIC CHURCH, ADOPTED THE IMPOSITION OF ASHES ON FAITHFUL AS A PUBLIC SIGN TO MARK THE BEGINNING OF THE 40 DAYS OF  CONVERSION TO GOD.         

8)-THE CHURCH FIXED THE LENTEN RULES.

LENT (LATIN: QUADRAGESIMA, "FORTIETH" IS THE CHRISTIAN OBSERVANCE OF THE LITURGICAL YEAR FROM ASH WEDNESDAY TO EASTER SUNDAY.

THE TRADITIONAL PURPOSE OF LENT IS THE PENITENTIAL PREPARATION OF THE BELIEVER—THROUGH PRAYER, PENANCE, REPENTANCE, ALMSGIVING, AND SELF-DENIAL. ITS INSTITUTIONAL PURPOSE IS HEIGHTENED IN THE ANNUAL COMMEMORATION OF HOLY WEEK, MARKING THE DEATH AND RESURRECTION OF JESUS, WHICH RECALLS THE EVENTS OF THE PASSION OF CHRIST ON GOOD FRIDAY, WHICH THEN CULMINATES IN THE CELEBRATION ON EASTER SUNDAY OF THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST.

9)-LENT A PROPITIOUS TIME TO MEDITATE ON THE FORGIVENESS OF SIN.

DURING LENT, MANY OF THE FAITHFUL COMMIT TO FASTING OR GIVING UP CERTAIN TYPES OF LUXURY AS A FORM OF PENITENCE. THE STATIONS OF THE CROSS, A DEVOTIONAL COMMEMORATION OF CHRIST'S CARRYING THE CROSS AND OF HIS EXECUTION, ARE OFTEN OBSERVED.

10)-THE LITURGY OF THE CHURCH IS ADAPTED TO THE LENTEN PENITENTIAL OBSERVANCE.

MANY ROMAN CATHOLIC AND SOME PROTESTANT CHURCHES BARE THEIR ALTARS OF CANDLES, FLOWERS, AND OTHER DEVOTIONAL OFFERINGS, WHILE CRUCIFIXES, RELIGIOUS STATUES, AND OTHER ELABORATE RELIGIOUS PARAPHERNALIA ARE OFTEN VEILED IN VIOLET FABRICS IN OBSERVANCE OF THIS EVENT. IN CERTAIN PIOUS CATHOLIC COUNTRIES, GRAND PROCESSIONS AND CULTURAL CUSTOMS ARE OBSERVED, AND THE FAITHFUL ATTEMPT TO VISIT SEVEN CHURCHES DURING HOLY WEEK IN HONOR OF JESUS CHRIST HEADING TO MOUNT CALVARY.

11)-THE GOSPEL NARRATIVES SET THE RULES FOR THE LENTEN DURATION.

ACCORDING TO THE SYNOPTIC GOSPELS OF MATTHEW, MARK AND LUKE, JESUS SPENT FORTY DAYS FASTING IN THE DESERT BEFORE THE BEGINNING OF HIS PUBLIC MINISTRY, WHERE HE ENDURED TEMPTATION BY SATAN.    THUS, LENT IS DESCRIBED AS BEING FORTY DAYS LONG, THOUGH DIFFERENT DENOMINATIONS CALCULATE THE FORTY DAYS DIFFERENTLY.   IN MANY OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCHES, LENT IS REGARDED AS BEING FORTY DAYS LONG, BUT THE SUNDAYS BETWEEN SHROVE TUESDAY AND EASTER SUNDAY ARE NOT TYPICALLY REGARDED AS BEING PART OF LENT; THUS, THE DATE OF SHROVE TUESDAY WILL TYPICALLY BE SLIGHTLY MORE THAN FORTY DAYS BEFORE EASTER SUNDAY.

12)-LENTEN OBSERVANCE IN THE MAINSTREAMS OF CHRISTIANITY.

LENT, ALONG WITH ITS PIOUS CUSTOMS ARE OBSERVED BY ROMAN CATHOLICS, LUTHERANS, METHODISTS, PRESBYTERIANS, ANGLICANS AND SOME BAPTISTS.   LENT IS INCREASINGLY BEING OBSERVED BY OTHER DENOMINATIONS AS WELL, EVEN SUCH GROUPS THAT HAVE HISTORICALLY IGNORED LENT, SUCH AS SOME BAPTISTS AND MENNONITES.      

ALL SUCH SPECIAL BEHAVIORS ARE NECESSARY FOR THE FAITHFUL IN PROFESSING THEIR FAITH OPENLY.  WE ARE CREATURES OF HABITS,   LIVING WITH SIGNS AND SYMBOLS WHICH HELP US TO MAINTAIN OUR HUMAN AND SPIRITUAL EQUILIBRIUM.  THE NUMBER FORTY HAS MANY BIBLICAL REFERENCES: THE FORTY DAYS MOSES SPENT ON MOUNT SINAI WITH GOD (EXODUS 24:18); THE FORTY DAYS AND NIGHTS ELIJAH SPENT WALKING TO MOUNT HOREB (1 KINGS 19:8); THE FORTY DAYS AND NIGHTS GOD SENT RAIN IN THE GREAT FLOOD OF NOAH (GENESIS 7:4); THE FORTY YEARS THE HEBREW PEOPLE WANDERED IN THE DESERT WHILE TRAVELING TO THE PROMISED LAND (NUMBERS 14:33); THE FORTY DAYS JONAH IN HIS PROPHECY OF JUDGMENT GAVE THE CITY OF NINEVEH IN WHICH TO REPENT (JONAH 3:4).

13)-JESUS HIMSELF TAKES FORTY DAYS TO PREPARE HIMSELF FOR HIS PRIESTLY MINISTRY.

JESUS RETREATED INTO THE WILDERNESS, WHERE HE FASTED FOR FORTY DAYS, AND WAS TEMPTED BY THE DEVIL (MATTHEW 4:1–2, MARK 1:12–13, LUKE 4:1–12).   HE OVERCAME ALL THREE OF SATAN'S TEMPTATIONS BY CITING SCRIPTURE TO THE DEVIL. 

14)-SATAN’S DECLARATION IN THE SECOND TEMPTATION REVEALS TO US ADAM’S SIN  SOLD MANKIND TO SATAN.

 THE SECOND TEMPTATION IS VERY SPECIAL TO US SINCE THE DEVIL TAKES JESUS UP TO A HIGH MOUNTAIN AND THERE HE SHOWED JESUS ALL THE KINGDOMS OF THE WORLD.  THEN SATAN SAYS THIS TO JESUS:   “I SHALL GIVE TO YOU ALL THIS POWER AND THEIR GLORY; FOR IT HAS BEEN  HANDED OVER TO ME, AND I MAY GIVE IT TO WHOMEVER I WISH.”  SATAN SHOWS JESUS ALL THE KINGDOMS OF THE WORLD; WHO IS THERE?  YOU AND I,  WE ARE ALL THERE, AND SATAN SAYS THAT WE ALL BELONG TO HIM.

15)-JESUS ACCEPTS SATAN’S DECLARATION THAT WE BELONG TO HIM. 

BORN WITH THE ORIGINAL SIN, IN THE VERY FIRST MOMENT OF OUR EXISTENCE, WE ARE SLAVES TO SIN IN THE DEVIL’S CLAWS.  JESUS DOES NOT CALL SATAN A LIAR; HE DOES NOT RETORT TO SATAN THAT THE WORLD BELONGS TO GOD.  HE ACCEPTS THE DECLARATION OF SATAN THAT THE WORLD BELONGS TO SATAN, YOU AND I ARE IN THERE!  JESUS PATIENTLY GIVES SATAN THE RIGHT ANSWER , WHICH ANSWER ADAM AND EVE  REFUSED TO GIVE TO ALMIGHTY GOD: “IT IS WRITTEN YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD, YOUR GOD, AND HIM ALONE SHALL YOU SERVE,”       AT WHICH POINT THE DEVIL LEFT HIM,

16)-JESUS’ TEMPTATIONS IN THE DESERT REVEAL  THE INTRINSIC MAKE-UP OF OUR EARTHLY JOURNEY TO HEAVEN.

ANGELS MINISTERED TO JESUS, AND HE BEGAN HIS MINISTRY.  AND JESUS CONTINUES WITH HIS MINISTRY FURTHER SAYING  THAT HIS DISCIPLES SHOULD FAST "WHEN THE BRIDEGROOM SHALL BE TAKEN FROM THEM" (MATTHEW 9:15), A REFERENCE TO HIS PASSION. SINCE, PRESUMABLY, THE APOSTLES FASTED AS THEY MOURNED THE DEATH OF JESUS, CHRISTIANS HAVE TRADITIONALLY FASTED DURING THE ANNUAL COMMEMORATION OF HIS BURIAL.

17)-ASH WEDNESDAY WEAVES THE TRADITIONAL FABRIC OF OUR LIVES.

IT IS THE TRADITIONAL BELIEF THAT JESUS LAY FOR FORTY HOURS IN THE TOMB[8] WHICH LED TO THE FORTY HOURS OF TOTAL FAST THAT PRECEDED THE EASTER CELEBRATION IN THE EARLY CHURCH[9] (THE BIBLICAL REFERENCE TO 'THREE DAYS IN THE TOMB' IS UNDERSTOOD AS SPANNING THREE DAYS, FROM FRIDAY AFTERNOON TO EARLY SUNDAY MORNING, RATHER THAN THREE 24 HOUR PERIODS OF TIME). ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT CEREMONIES AT EASTER WAS THE BAPTISM OF THE INITIATES ON EASTER EVE. THE FAST WAS INITIALLY UNDERTAKEN BY THE CATECHUMENS TO PREPARE THEM FOR THE RECEPTION OF THIS SACRAMENT. LATER, THE PERIOD OF FASTING FROM GOOD FRIDAY UNTIL EASTER DAY WAS EXTENDED TO SIX DAYS, TO CORRESPOND WITH THE SIX WEEKS OF TRAINING, NECESSARY TO GIVE THE FINAL INSTRUCTION TO THOSE CONVERTS WHO WERE TO BE BAPTIZED.

18)-THE INFLUENCE OF THE EARLY CHURCH CONTINUES TO SHAPE OUR LENTEN DEVOTIONS.

CONVERTS TO CHRISTIANITY FOLLOWED A STRICT CATECHUMENATE OR PERIOD OF INSTRUCTION AND DISCIPLINE PRIOR TO BAPTISM. IN JERUSALEM NEAR THE CLOSE OF THE FOURTH CENTURY, CLASSES WERE HELD THROUGHOUT LENT FOR THREE HOURS EACH DAY. WITH THE LEGALIZATION OF CHRISTIANITY (BY THE EDICT OF MILAN) AND ITS LATER IMPOSITION AS THE STATE RELIGION OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE, ITS CHARACTER WAS ENDANGERED BY THE GREAT INFLUX OF NEW MEMBERS. IN RESPONSE, THE LENTEN FAST AND PRACTICES OF SELF-RENUNCIATION WERE REQUIRED ANNUALLY OF ALL CHRISTIANS, BOTH TO SHOW SOLIDARITY WITH THE CATECHUMENS, AND FOR THEIR OWN SPIRITUAL BENEFIT.  MAY THIS ASH WEDNESDAY  MARKING THE BEGINNING OF LENT BE FOR EACH ONE OF US BE THE GREAT BLESSING JESUS WANTS TO BESTOW ON OUR FAMILIES, OUR HOMES AND OUR WORKS.   LET US EMPTY OURSELVES OF ALL THAT IS NOT CHRISTIAN TO BECOME NEW FRIENDS OF JESUS LEADING US TO THE RESURRECTION.  MAY THE GOOD LORD BLESS YOU ALL. 

May the good Lord bless us during our Lenten devotions with a prosperous time of renewal in the grace of our Almighty God and Father of us all. The professor.