Since the second century, the Western Christian Church has
commemorated the Atonement of our Lord Jesus Christ and his Resurrection
throughout the world, throughout the ages to this day, preparing herself with
Fasting and Prayer as it is recommended by Apostle Paul
(1Corinthians 7:5).
On Ash Wednesday, Christians all over the world, open up the
40 days of prayer and meditation, dedicating them to God through Worship,
Fasting and Abstinence.
That is, they fast and abstain from worldly pleasures,
including sex on the beginning of that period, Ash Wednesday, and continue on
for 46 days in Abstinence.
In more pious times in the past, that included fasting every
morning, and avoiding meat and dairy products, music and sex throughout the 40
days.
These times where Christians are weak and worldly, the
custom has been relaxed to only morning fasting on Ash Wednesday and avoidance
of meat and dairy products for the rest of the 46 days period leading to
Easter, called Lent.
On this day, while dedicating the Lent to God in public
worship, Christians are rubbed with blessed ashes on the foreheads in the shape
of a Cross, reminding them of the Sacrifice of Christ on the Cross.
These ashes are a modern modest representation of the ashes
the holy men of old used to put on themselves are a sign of penitence, fasting
and repentance before God.
(Matthew 11:21; Luke 10:13; Job 42:6; Daniel 9:3)
The public displayed of ashes, is a public declaration of
faith in Christ and honour to his Name as a testimony of all mankind.
At work, at school, university, at leisure time and
shopping, in whatever you do, stand proud of being a Christian; a believer in
Christ, in the Gospel of Salvation by Grace; and dedicate these days to reflect
in how much God loved us, that He sent his Son Jesus Christ to pay for our
sins, so that we could be forgiven and come back to our Heavenly home.
Omar Flores
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