How Will You Be Observing Ash Wednesday?

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jruegg
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How Will You Be Observing Ash Wednesday?

Post by jruegg »

The church I currently serve will be observing it's typical Ash Wednesday service tomorrow night. There will be responsive readings, congregational prayers, Psalter and Scripture readings, I'll give a meditation and then we'll observe the Lenten Discipline of the Imposition of Ashes.

How will you be observing Ash Wednesday? Does your church have a service? Will you be sporting your ashes all day or just in the evening? Does your church even impart ashes? I'm curious what other faith traditions do.
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How Will You Be Observing Ash Wednesday?

Post by Del »

A bad winter storm is going to hit us around noon on Ash Wednesday and last for 20 hours or so. Snow, sleet, ice, high winds.

So we plan to go to early Mass (7:00 am) on Wednesday morning and then work from home. With the usual fasting, of course.

I need to discern a prayer-&-fasting regimen for this Lent. I usually suck at Lenten observance, and this season has snuck up on me. I should discern this with Pipeson, and invite him to hold me to account.
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How Will You Be Observing Ash Wednesday?

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Del wrote: 21 Feb 2023, 13:56 A bad winter storm is going to hit us around noon on Ash Wednesday and last for 20 hours or so. Snow, sleet, ice, high winds.

So we plan to go to early Mass (7:00 am) on Wednesday morning and then work from home. With the usual fasting, of course.

I need to discern a prayer-&-fasting regimen for this Lent. I usually suck at Lenten observance, and this season has snuck up on me. I should discern this with Pipeson, and invite him to hold me to account.
Does your tradition (or however you want to call it) emphasize a daily (24hr) fast more or over a single meal fast (such as lunch?)?
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How Will You Be Observing Ash Wednesday?

Post by Del »

jruegg wrote: 21 Feb 2023, 14:07
Del wrote: 21 Feb 2023, 13:56 A bad winter storm is going to hit us around noon on Ash Wednesday and last for 20 hours or so. Snow, sleet, ice, high winds.

So we plan to go to early Mass (7:00 am) on Wednesday morning and then work from home. With the usual fasting, of course.

I need to discern a prayer-&-fasting regimen for this Lent. I usually suck at Lenten observance, and this season has snuck up on me. I should discern this with Pipeson, and invite him to hold me to account.
Does your tradition (or however you want to call it) emphasize a daily (24hr) fast more or over a single meal fast (such as lunch?)?
The rule for Roman Catholic fast for Ash Wednesday is: One small meal, plus two snack meals that together would not add up to a small meal. No meat. Children and elderly are exempt, as well as anyone with a medical requirement.

This is not a particularly strict fast, and really presents just the bare minimum. Most Catholics choose a personal discipline that is more strict and challenging for himself. I reckon I will try to abstain from food all day. If I crack, it will be just one small meal in the evening.

My utmost admiration to the Orthodox brothers who embrace their strict Lenten fast.
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How Will You Be Observing Ash Wednesday?

Post by sweetandsour »

I'm not sure yet, exactly, about tomorrow's plans. But I do plan to get by the local KC hall this Friday for sure, and pick up several fried fish dinners.

I was born into, and raised in, an evangelical family, and we never did worship anywhere that participated in the formal Ash Wednesday traditions. But I have no aversion to the practice at all, and in fact was never taught any aversion to it. If I knew of someplace where I could go tomorrow and make a special observance for the beginning of the Easter season, and even have ashes sprinkled or placed on my head, then I would not hesitate to do it. As it is, I'll probably say my prayers, and fast in some personal way, as is my usual custom.
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How Will You Be Observing Ash Wednesday?

Post by Hovannes »

I'll usher at an ash service at church, fast, and pray.
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How Will You Be Observing Ash Wednesday?

Post by tuttle »

My church doesn't formally do anything for Ash Wednesday. But it's a puritan bunch.

In the past I've had qualms with it, the fasting bit, not really the ashes, but over the years that hill has become a valley. My beef was that it seemed to fly in the face of Christ's command of fasting in secret. This, to me, seemed like fasting with a trumpet. And to be honest, for many of the evangelicals rushing to it, it was, (LoOk At My HuMiLiTy!), but I honestly do appreciate the purpose behind it, and when it is done as a community I find that it erases the trumpet because everyone in the community is doing it together. And if my church participated I would happily do so.

For Lent I typically go through a Lenten devotional (I have one I come back to every few years, a 40 day study with selected works from CS Lewis).

Have a blessed Ash Wednesday and season of Lent.
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How Will You Be Observing Ash Wednesday?

Post by Del »

The Three Pillars of Lent are prayer, fasting, and alms-giving. Do all three with intention. Do not seek praise for it.

We also want to encourage others to increase in prayer, fasting, and alms-giving. This is a bit tricky, because the best way to encourage others is to share what we are doing and how much this helps our own spiritual growth. And sometimes the person we are talking with will want to praise us for it. It helps to have a little spiel ready.... "Hey, it isn't about me. We should all be fasting."

We fast, pray, and give to charity because the Church and the Scripture tell us to. God knows what we need.

Prayer keeps us focused on our God.
Fasting exercises our will. We give up something good so that we are strong when we are tempted to sin.
Sharing some of our wealth helps us overcome our attachments to the things of this world.
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How Will You Be Observing Ash Wednesday?

Post by Hovannes »

Every lent I find it amusing that all the fast food chains do an advertising blitz for their fish sandwiches without mentioning lent.
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