CBSI MALAYSIA

Ash Wednesday marks the first day of the season of Lent. Lent begins 40 days prior to Easter, not including Sundays. As the first day of Lent, Ash Wednesday comes the day after Shrove Tuesday or Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday), the last day of the Carnival season. Many churches hold services on Ash Wednesday early in the morning, at noon, and in the evening.

Not all Christian churches observe Ash Wednesday or Lent. Some of those observing Ash Wednesday are: Lutheran, Methodist, Presbyterian, Anglican, and the Roman Catholic.

Ashes are a symbol of repentance. The use of ashes on the first day of Lent comes from a ceremony of ages past. Christians who had committed grave faults performed public penance. The penitent dusted himself with ashes as a way of expressing sorrow for sins and faults. This practice was partially based on the ancient example of one expressing penitence as found in Job 42:3-6. Job says to God: “I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear; but now mine eye seeth thee. The other eye wandereth of its own accord. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.”(KJV)

The ashes traditionally are made by burning the palms used in the Palm Sunday celebration of the previous year. The ashes are mixed with Holy Water and oil. The oil used can be one of the sacred oils used to anoint those about to be baptized. This paste is used by the minister who presides at the service to make the sign of the cross, first upon his or her own forehead and then on those of the congregants. The minister recites the words: “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return”, (Genesis 3:19) or “Repent, and believe the good news.”(Mark 1:15) The worshipper traditionally retains the cross on the forehead until it wears off.