favored, blessed, loved

i had a very special Ash Wednesday yesterday.  ash was placed on my forehead in a sort of private ceremony just outside the Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration room where the only ones present were the lay minister and me.

i ran an errand for my dad and the church was along my route so i stopped by the PEA.  on my way out, i ran into a lay minister holding a small container filled with ash.

me:  'oh...  you're still going to put ash, sir?'

lay minister:  'we're done...'

me:  'aw...  i missed it...  would it still be possible for you to put ash on me though?'

lay minister thinks awhile, looks at me, then goes:  'okay...  i'll get my things...'

me:  'oh...  you still need to go someplace?  never mind...'

lay minister:  'i'll just get some stuff in the car...'

then he walks away...

me:  'don't bother!  thanks anyway...'

lay minister:  'no...  you wait for me...  just sit there...'

when he returned, he had two pieces of paper and he handed one to me.  it was the prayers for the ash ceremony!

he pointed out his lines and my supposed responses.

okay.

we started.

first, he said Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the Lenten Season, a period of fasting and abstinence, penance, repentance and alms-giving.  he explained each one.

i felt so privileged and grateful.  it was as if i was getting a personal homily/sermon/excerpt from the mass.

i felt embarrassed, too, as i did not know i would be taking so much of the lay minister's time.

anyway, he then asked me whether i know why we put ash on the forehead.

i said all i know is it's from the bible:  dust thou art and unto dust thou shall return.

he explained aside from that it's because we're sinners and we should repent and be reconciled with God.

 then we proceeded to the printed prayers/exchange.

when he finally put ash on my forehead, he said, "Repent and believe in the Gospel."

amen.