What does that mean to me? A former CRC attendant who turned into a long lost believer who now yearns for an intimate relationship with Jesus on a daily basis. This blog will be dedicated to finding out how a Catholic tradition can serve a purpose in my life. How can this lent season help me to grow closer to God and serve others like Jesus did? Hopefully, by my serving, I learn more about what it was like to be a follower of Jesus.
Today, I will share what I know of Ash Wednesday and as I work through the lent season, I will hopefully have more knowledge about the topic. Here is a list of the things I know about Ash Wednesday (be prepared, it is not too brilliant and some of the statements will most likely be incorrect):
- Catholics attend mass on this day to have ashes rubbed on their foreheads. This signifies that from dust we are made and to dust we will return. It is a reminder of who made us. The ashes come from palms that are burned at the parishes.
-Ash Wednesday starts lent season
-Lent season means that you give up something for 40 days to signify the sacrifice that God made for his people--Jesus dying on the cross. The purpose is to simplify (most people give up alcohol or some type of food, like chocolate). Also, Catholics give up eating meat on Fridays; thus explains the amount of fish fry's at parishes on Friday evenings.
-At the end of lent season, we have Holy Week. During Holy Week, we honor Maundy Thursday, when Jesus celebrated his last supper with the disciples. Then is Good Friday, which Is Jesus' crucifixion. This leads to Easter, when Jesus was resurrected.
So...that is the extent of what I know. Like I said, I will be researching to find out more as I go thru this process. Hopefully by the end I will have gained more knowledge and grown closer to God.
Since I do know that part of lent season is sacrificing something, I am going to participate in the event. In the past, I have given up fast food, chocolate, fried food and soda. This year, I am taking a different route. I am going to give up an article of clothing or a pair of shoes everyday for 40 days. At the end of the lent season I will be donating my clothes and shoes to someone in need. (I do not mean Goodwill or Hope Network. I want to donate to a person where they will not have to pay to receive the clothing.) 40 articles of clothing will be enough for someone who does not have a lot to have an entire new wardrobe. I was inspired to do this because of these verses:
44 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’
45 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ (Matthew 25).
I have always been drawn to these verses and always want to do more. This lent season has provided me with a perfect opportunity to work on someone needing clothes! Each day I hope to post what I am donating and what I have been learning about this experience. Today I am donating this green shirt:
I am excited to start this journey and believe that God will provide me with the right person to donate my clothes to at then end of lent. Hopefully, you can join in my decision to Give it Up! in 2014 for lent season to help those that are in need! Let's get started!
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