ASH WEDNESDAY.

87

WHYBecause
is this <lay so called?
on this day the Catholic Church blesses ashes
and puts them on the foreheads of the faithful, saying, '' Re­
member, man, that thou art dust, and unto dust shalt thou
return" (Gen. iii. 19).
Why are the ashes blessed?
1. That all who receive them with a contrite heart may be
preserved in soul and body. 2. That God may give them con­
trition, and pardon their sins. 3. That He may grant them all
they humbly ask for, particularly the grace to do penance, and
the reward promised to the truly penitent.
Why are the faithful sprinkled with ashes?
The sprinkling with ashes was always a public sign of pen­
ance; as such God enjoined it upon the Israelites (Jer. xxv.
34). David sprinkled ashes on his bread (Ps. ci. 10). The
Ninivites (Jonas iii. 6), Judith (Jud. ix. 1), l\fardochai (Esther
iv. 1), Job (xlii. 6), and others, did penance in sack-cloth and
ashes.
To show the spirit of penance and to move God to mercy,
the Church, at the Introit of the Mass, uses the following words:
'' Thou hast mercy upon all, 0 Lord, and hatest none of the
things which Thou hast made, and win kest at the sins of men
for the sake of repentance, and sparing them, for Thou art
the Lord our God" (Wis. xi. 24, 25). "Have mercy on me,
0 God, for my soul trusteth in Thee." Glory be to the
Father, etc.
88 ASH WEDNESDAY.

Prayer.
Grant to Thy faithful, 0 Lord, that they may begin the ven<
erable solemnities of fasting with becoming piety, and perform
them with undisturbed devotion, through Christ, etc.

EPISTLE. Joel ii. 12-19.

Therefore saith the Lord: Be converted to :M:e with all your
heart, in fasting, and in weeping, and in mourning. And rend
yonr hearts and not your garments, and turn to the Lord your
God: for He is gracious and merciful, patient and rich in mercy,
and ready to repent of the evil. "\Vho knoweth but he will
return, and forgive, and leave a blessing behind him, sacrifice
and libation to the Lord your God? Blow the trumpet in Sion,
sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly, gather together the
people, sanctify the church, assemble the anciente, gather to­
gether the little ones, and them that suck at the breasts: let the
bridegroom go forth from his bed, and the bride out of her
bride-chamber. Between the porch and the altar the priests,
the Lord's ministers, shall weep, and shall say: Spare, 0 Lord,
spare Thy people; and give not Thy inheritance to reproach,
that the heathens should rule over them; why should they say
among the nations : ·where is their God? The Lord hath been
zealous for His land, and hath spared His people: am1 the Lord
answered and said to His people: Behold I will send yon corn,
and wine, and oil, and you sl1all be filled with them : and I will
no more make you a reproach among the nations, saith the Lord
Almighty.
Explanation.
The prophet, in these words, calls upon the Israelites to be
converted, reminding them of the great mercy of God, and ex­
horting them to join true repentance for their sins with their
fasting and alms. They should all, without exception, do pen­
ance and implore the mercy of God, Who would then forgive
them, deliver them from their enemies. and bring peace and
happiness upon them.

GOSPEL. Matt. vi. 16-21.

At that time Jesus said to His disciples: "\Vhen you fast,
be not as the hypocrites, sad: for they disfigure their faces that
 ASH WEDNESDAY. 89
they may appear unto men to fast. A.men I say to you, they
have received their reward. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint
thy head, and wash thy face, that thou appear not to men to
fast, but to thy Father vVho is in secret : and thy Father, Who
seeth in secret, will repay thee. Lay not up to yourselves
treasures on earth: where the rust and moth consume, and where
thieves break through and steal. But lay up to yourselves
treasures in heaven: where neither rust nor moth doth consume,
and where thieves do not break through, nor steal. For where
thy treasure is, there is thy heart also.

INSTRUCTION ON LENT.

What is the origin of fasting?

Under the Old Law the Jews fasted by the command of God;
thus Moses fasted forty days and forty nights, on Mount Sinai,
when God gave him the Ten Commandments; Elias, in like man­
ner, fasted in the desert. Jesus also fasted, and commanded
His apostles to fast also. The Catholic Church, says St. Loo,
from the time of the apostles, has enjoined fasting upon all the
faithful.
Why has the Church instituted the fast before Easter?
1. To imitate Jesus Christ, ·who fasted forty days. 2. To
participate in His merits and passion; for as Christ could only be
glorified through His sufferings, so in order to belong to Him we
must follow Him by a life answering to His. 3. To subject the
flesh to the spirit, and thus, 4, prepare ourselves for Easter and
the worthy reception of the divine Lamb. 5. Finally, to offer to
God some satisfaction for our sins, and, as St. Leo says, to atone
for the sins of a whole year by a short fast of the tenth part of
a year.
Was the fast of Lent kept in early times as it is now?
Yes, only more rigorously; for : 1. The Christians of the
early ages abstained not only from flesh-meat, but from those
things which are produced from flesh, such as butter, eggs,
cheese, and also from wine and fish. 2. They fasted during the
whole day, and ate only after vespers, that is, at night.
How shall we keep the holy season of Lent with advantage?
We should endeavor not only to deny" ourselves food and
90 THURSDAY AFTER ASH WEDNESDAY,

drink, but, still more, all sinful gratifications. And as the body
is weakened by fasting, the soul, on the other hand, should be
strengthem::d by repeated prayers, by frequent reception of the
holy sacraments, attending Mass, spiritual reading, and good
works, particularly those of charity. In such manner we shall
be able, according to the intention of the Church, to supply by
our fasting what we have omitted during the year, especially if
we fast willingly, and with a good intention.
Prayer.
0 Lord Jesns, I offer up to Thee my fasting and self-denial,
to be united to Thy fasting and sufferings, for Thy glory, in
gratitude for so many benefits received from Thee, in satisfac­
tion for my sins and those of others, and to obtain Thy holy
grace that I may overcome my sins and acquire the virtues which
I need. Look upon me, 0 Jesus, in mercy. Amen.

Ubursba)? after Bsb 'U'Cllebnesba}2.

EPISTLE. Isaias xxxviii. 1-6.

IN those days Ezechias was sick even to death, and the prophet
Isaias, the son of Amos, came unto him, and said to him:
Thus saith the Lord : Take order with thy house, for thou shalt
die and not live. And Ezechias turned his face toward the wall,
and prayed to the Lord, and said : I beseech Thee, 0 Lord,
remember how I have walked before Thee in truth, and with a
perfect heart, and have done that which i,, good in Thy sight.
And Ezechias wept with great weeping. And the word of the
Lord came to Isaias, saying: Go and say to Ezechias: Thus saith
the Lord the God of David thy father: I have heard thy prayer,
and I have seen thy tears: behold I will add to thy days fifteen
years: and I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of
the king of the Assyrians, and I will protect it, saith the Lord
Almighty.
GOSPEL. Matt. viii. 5-18.
At that time: When Jesus had entered into Capharnaum,
there came to Him a centurion, beseeching Him, and saying:
Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, and is griev­
l)Us!y tormented. And Jesus saith to him: I will come and
heal him. And the centurion, making answer, said: Lord, J