Ash Wednesday

[Cbsteffen]

Do you ever get ashes rubbed on your forehead on Ash Wednesday? I haven't done that for a while, but I'll see if I can find an Ash Wednesday service for that this year.

[michele2042]

Every Ash Wednesday as a child.   Embarrassing to admit but once I got to high school we would all claim we were going to services and not go.   We would put cigarette ashes on our foreheads.    (Did I really just admit to that)?

[hitch0403]

"The 40-day fast of Lent is said to commemorate the 40-day fast of Christ. Yet, Jesus never commanded his disciples to commemorate his fast, nor is there any evidence that they did so. The first reliable mention of the 40-day fast before Easter is thought to be in letters of Athanasius, dated 330 C.E.

"Since Jesus fasted following his baptism and not before his death, the fact that some religions observe Lent in the weeks preceding Easter may seem strange. However, a 40-day fast in the early part of the year was common among ancient Babylonians, Egyptians, and Greeks. The “Christian” custom was evidently borrowed from them."

Do Jehovah's Witnesses Observe Lent?

No, Jehovah's Witnesses do not observe Lent or Easter. Jehovah's Witnesses only formally celebrate the one event that Jesus commanded his followers. The memorial of his death (1 Cor. 11:23-26).

[bettey13]

I haven't had the ashes since I think grade school; but it may have been high school-either way-it has been a very long time.

[Nancy5]

No, I'm not Catholic and in my church we don't use ashes for Ash Wednesday.

[Cbsteffen]

No, I'm not Catholic and in my church we don't use ashes for Ash Wednesday.

Rubbing ashes on people's foreheads isn't necessarily a Catholic tradition. It's just against the rules for Catholics 14 years old or older to eat meat on Ash Wednesday or Fridays during Lent (except fish because fish are cold-blooded).

[Cbsteffen]

Every Ash Wednesday as a child.   Embarrassing to admit but once I got to high school we would all claim we were going to services and not go.   We would put cigarette ashes on our foreheads.    (Did I really just admit to that)?

Hmmm. At some churches, they turn palm branches used on Palm Sunday in the last year into ashes. That's what they have done at a Catholic church I used to go to.

[bremer51]

We do that in our church which is Lutheran.  We haven't always done it because people thought it was a Catholic thing.  I don't know where they get the ashes, but I'm quite certain that its not from cigarettes.

[countrygirl12]

Do you ever get ashes rubbed on your forehead on Ash Wednesday? I haven't done that for a while, but I'll see if I can find an Ash Wednesday service for that this year.

Uh no.  If anybody tries to rub ashes on MY face on any day of the week they are gonna get punched in the throat!  I know ASH WEDNESDAY is on the calendar some time or another but I don't know what it means.  I have read it before but do not remember.

[hitch0403]

Getting ashes rubbed on your face might seem more befitting for Halloween.Afterall many rub that other junk on their face to dress up you might as well be a DUMB ASH!!!

[JediJohnnie]

"The 40-day fast of Lent is said to commemorate the 40-day fast of Christ. Yet, Jesus never commanded his disciples to commemorate his fast, nor is there any evidence that they did so. The first reliable mention of the 40-day fast before Easter is thought to be in letters of Athanasius, dated 330 C.E.

"Since Jesus fasted following his baptism and not before his death, the fact that some religions observe Lent in the weeks preceding Easter may seem strange. However, a 40-day fast in the early part of the year was common among ancient Babylonians, Egyptians, and Greeks. The “Christian” custom was evidently borrowed from them."

Do Jehovah's Witnesses Observe Lent?

No, Jehovah's Witnesses do not observe Lent or Easter. Jehovah's Witnesses only formally celebrate the one event that Jesus commanded his followers. The memorial of his death (1 Cor. 11:23-26).

What you JW's have neglected yet again,is the Jews practiced fasting as well. And they didn't lean it from the pagan nations either.

[hitch0403]

Is Fasting Obligatory for Christians?
The Mosaic Law ordered the Jews to “afflict [their] souls,” that is, to fast, once a year on Atonement Day. (Leviticus 16:29-31; Psalm 35:13) This was the only fasting that Jehovah ever commanded his people to do.* Jews who lived under the Mosaic Law would have obeyed that command. But Christians are not required to observe the Mosaic Law.—Romans 10:4; Colossians 2:14.
Although Jesus did fast as the Law required, he was not known for this practice. He told his disciples how they were to act if they chose to fast, but he never commanded that they fast. (Matthew 6:16-18; 9:14) Why, then, did Jesus say that his disciples would fast after his death? (Matthew 9:15) This was not a command. Jesus’ words simply suggest that at his death his disciples would feel deep sorrow and would lose the desire to eat.

Beware of the Pitfalls
One pitfall to avoid regarding fasting is self-righteousness. The Bible warns against adopting “mock humility.” (Colossians 2:20-23) Jesus’ illustration of the proud Pharisee who felt morally superior to others because of his regular fasting leaves no doubt that God rejects such an attitude.—Luke 18:9-14.

[fjaz1]

You wouldn't know if you are not a  Catholic and they said rub ashes on your FOREHEAD, NOT FACE, and it is voluntary nobody does it unless you want them to, unreal reaction, nice violent attitude

[lhz123]

Yes, I do .

[jcalexis]

I do it every year. I also pick something to give up for the forty days. This year, I give up on meat. I will not eat meat sarting today until Easter Sunday.