ASHES

Wednesday past was the religious holiday, Ash Wednesday. It marks the beginning of Lent by reminding us of our humanity; that from dust we came and to dust we shall return. The Catholic church incorporates a blessing with ashes as part of their Ash Wednesday service. The priest, after dipping his thumb or finger in the ashes, marks the forehead of those present with a cross. The ashes come from the burnt remains of the palms from the previous year's Palm Sunday service.

This date always brings to mind the pastor of our parish in the 1970's, the Reverend Raymond Hahn. Father Ray always took this opportunity to needle those, like me, who had a "receded" hairline by extending the cross far beyond the forehead onto the scalp. He thought that was hilarious.
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