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bwhite06517
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| Joined: | Sat Dec 29th, 2007 |
| Location: | Hamden, Connecticut USA |
| Posts: | 27 |
| First Name: | Bruce | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Methodist, Pentecostal, Baptist, CATHOLIC!!!! |
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Posted: Thu Jan 17th, 2008 03:14 pm |
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Hi all!!!
The Gospel for Ash Wednesday reads (in part): “When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites. They neglect their appearance, so that they may appear to others to be fasting. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you may not appear to be fasting, except to your Father who is hidden. And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you."
It seems to be such that most Catholics (at least in this area - Connecticut) wear the cross made with ashes on their forehead all day.
Shouldn't our fasting be more personal rather than external? Shouldn't we (as the Gospel says) wash our face so that we do not appear to be fasting?
Bruce
Hamden, CT
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You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your mind, all your soul and all your strength.
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CajunRick
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| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Houma, Louisiana USA |
| Posts: | 5345 |
| First Name: | Rick (& Kermie) | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Lifetime Catholic, Latin Rite |
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Posted: Thu Jan 17th, 2008 06:34 pm |
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bwhite06517 wrote: Shouldn't our fasting be more personal rather than external? Shouldn't we (as the Gospel says) wash our face so that we do not appear to be fasting?
The practice of the day was to dress in rags and be filthy specifically so everyone would know you were fasting even if you weren't. They were doing it to impress others, not to offer sacrifice to God.
When we receive ashes, we should not avoid washing our faces at the proper time, but should not go out of our way to wash them off. Just behave as you would if they weren't there.
____________________
Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand. - Augustine
Rick Luquette
Luquette Lane
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beachmoss
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| Joined: | Mon Nov 13th, 2006 |
| Location: | Simpsonville, South Carolina USA |
| Posts: | 289 |
| First Name: | Beth | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Catholic (raised Baptist) |
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Posted: Thu Jan 17th, 2008 10:03 pm |
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This thread kinda runs in the same vein as I question I have.
So to begin with, I like wearing the ashes all day. I like having that visible sign to me every time I pass a mirror or brush my bangs back and get a little smudge on my hand. Is this wrong?
Which is bringing me to my second but main question. (In a roundabout way.) Our church offers the Ash Wednesday mass at noon and 7:00pm. I like going at noon so I can wear the ashes all day and not have to wash my face as soon as I get home. My kids are in school at this time, which leads me to the night mass. However, I have found that my children behave horribly at an evening mass. I end up crying during most of the mass. I know Ash Wednesday is not a Holy Day of Obligation, but I feel obliged to take my kids. Yet I fear taking them in the evening (and my pride? is telling me to wear the ashes all day).
I'm thinking I should take them because the oldest is a communicant and the second is preparing for her First Communion this spring.
So the question is: go alone or with the little one at noon or take all three in the evening?
Beth
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Robert
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| Joined: | Mon Nov 12th, 2007 |
| Location: | Germany |
| Posts: | 118 |
| First Name: | Robert | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | The whole spectrum from black to white, now 100% Catholic! |
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Posted: Fri Jan 18th, 2008 03:35 pm |
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Over here we don’t get a smudge of ash on our forehead. Instead the Priest sprinkles ashes (made from last years Palm Sunday Palm fronds) on the top of our head in the form of a cross.
Depending on your hair colour, or as in my case lack of hair, you either see them or you don’t.
Also, since almost everybody in my village is catholic, you really don’t stick out.
____________________
Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect (1 Peter 3:15)
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Ali
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| Joined: | Sat Jan 6th, 2007 |
| Location: | Ohio USA |
| Posts: | 656 |
| First Name: | Ali | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | JW, finally fully Catholic |
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Posted: Sat Jan 19th, 2008 07:59 pm |
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beachmoss wrote: So the question is: go alone or with the little one at noon or take all three in the evening?
Beth
I think it is definately important for our kids to go. If it were me, I would attend the afternoon mass by myself (heaven, I tell ya!) then take the kids to the evening one. That way you can pray and enjoy the one all by yourself, and in the evening you can focus more on the kids without really missing anything.
Try preparing them ahead of time for it, too. If I find any child appropriate links, I'll post them for you. Let them know what's going on and why. If you go earlier in the day, look for little things to tempt them with and then ask them afterward if they noticed when something happened or how did Father do that.
Please don't cry during Mass with your kids. You are doing everyone a service by taking them. God knows you are doing the best you can and trying to manage. He will bless you for it.
Ali
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beachmoss
Member
| Joined: | Mon Nov 13th, 2006 |
| Location: | Simpsonville, South Carolina USA |
| Posts: | 289 |
| First Name: | Beth | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Catholic (raised Baptist) |
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Posted: Sun Jan 20th, 2008 11:47 pm |
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Ali wrote: Please don't cry during Mass with your kids. You are doing everyone a service by taking them. God knows you are doing the best you can and trying to manage. He will bless you for it.
Ali
Ali,
Thank you for your kind words! You really don't know what these words mean to me!!
I like your idea of going alone for "myself" at noon, and then taking the kids in the evening. I may do that!
Beth
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mrsbmoo
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| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Virginia USA |
| Posts: | 307 |
| First Name: | Becky | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | former Methodist. RCA, Presbyterian, Holiness, Wesleyan... Catholic as of June ... |
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Posted: Mon Jan 21st, 2008 11:59 pm |
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| When I was a kid in upstate NY, Catholic kids got to leave school on Ash Wednesday. I was always so jealous. Could you pull them from school to go to the service? Then all of you could wear ashes all day.
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Becky
Wife of Michael(called Moo) and stay at home mom to 5 daughters between 10 months and 17
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CajunRick
Network Helper
| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Houma, Louisiana USA |
| Posts: | 5345 |
| First Name: | Rick (& Kermie) | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Lifetime Catholic, Latin Rite |
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Posted: Tue Jan 22nd, 2008 12:03 am |
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mrsbmoo wrote: When I was a kid in upstate NY, Catholic kids got to leave school on Ash Wednesday. I was always so jealous. Could you pull them from school to go to the service? Then all of you could wear ashes all day.
Would you believe most of the public schools in Louisiana are closed on Ash Wednesday?
____________________
Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand. - Augustine
Rick Luquette
Luquette Lane
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mrsbmoo
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| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Virginia USA |
| Posts: | 307 |
| First Name: | Becky | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | former Methodist. RCA, Presbyterian, Holiness, Wesleyan... Catholic as of June ... |
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Posted: Tue Jan 22nd, 2008 12:15 am |
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| Makes sense if most people won't be there anyway. The State University in NY where I went closed for Jewish Holidays as most of the students would leave the morning before to be home by sundown.
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Becky
Wife of Michael(called Moo) and stay at home mom to 5 daughters between 10 months and 17
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Ali
Member
| Joined: | Sat Jan 6th, 2007 |
| Location: | Ohio USA |
| Posts: | 656 |
| First Name: | Ali | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | JW, finally fully Catholic |
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Posted: Tue Jan 22nd, 2008 01:29 pm |
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{{{Beth}}} I will attend Mass earlier in the day with Dalton's school, and Q will go with me then. In the evening dh and I will attend by ourselves.
I'm gonna put some links in the Recommended Resources forum for Lent activities.
Ali
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