The name dies cinerum (day of ashes) which it bears in the Roman Missal is found in the earliest existing copies of the Gregorian Sacramentary and probably dates from at least the eighth century. On this day all the faithful according to ancient custom are exhorted to approach the altar before the beginning of Mass, and there the priest, dipping his thumb into ashes previously blessed, marks the forehead of each the sign of the cross, saying the words: “Remember man that thou art dust and unto dust thou shalt return.”
The ashes used in this ceremony are made by burning the remains of the palms blessed on the Palm Sunday of the previous year. In the blessing of the ashes four prayers are used, all of them ancient. The ashes are sprinkled with holy water and fumigated with incense.
– Catholic Encyclopedia (Thurston, Herbert)
CODE OF CANON LAW
Can. 1249 The divine law binds all the Christian faithful to do penance each in his or her own way. In order for all to be united among themselves by some common observance of penance, however, penitential days are prescribed on which the Christian faithful devote themselves in a special way to prayer, perform works of piety and charity, and deny themselves by fulfilling their own obligations more faithfully and especially by observing fast and abstinence, according to the norm of the following canons.
Can. 1250 The penitential days and times in the universal Church are every Friday of the whole year and the season of Lent.
Can. 1251 Abstinence from meat, or from some other food as determined by the Episcopal Conference, is to be observed on all Fridays, unless a solemnity should fall on a Friday. Abstinence and fasting are to be observed on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.
Can. 1252 The law of abstinence binds those who have completed their fourteenth year. The law of fasting binds those who have attained their majority, until the beginning of their sixtieth year. Pastors of souls and parents are to ensure that even those who by reason of their age are not bound by the law of fasting and abstinence, are taught the true meaning of penance.
The formula for fasting is to only have two small meals and then one regular-sized meal that’s no larger than both those small meals put together.
Fasting isn’t meant to be very difficult, and the purpose isn’t for one to starve. What’s difficult is this is a fast day whether we like it or not. This is a day when we’re called to eat less. We’re called to act differently, whether we like it or not.
The same thing is true when it comes to Mass every Sunday and Holy days of obligation. It’s a thing that we’re called to do whether we like it or not.
Here’s why that’s so good:
What is love? Love is willing the good of the other. It’s willing or choosing the good of the other, so we’re called to love our neighbor, and we’re called to love the people in our families. We’re simply called to love others.
How do you love God? Love is willing the good of the other, so you’re typically providing for something they lack, or you’re giving them something they don’t have. But when it comes to God, He has everything.
How we can love God is basically through three ways:
– We can love God through giving Him glory. By praising Him, by giving Him thanksgiving, or by worshiping Him.
– We love God by serving our neighbor.
– We love God through obedience. Jesus said, “If you love me, keep my commandments.” We show our love by saying yes to God. Why? Because God has everything in the world, He has everything in the universe, except for one thing, and the one thing God doesn’t have is your heart.
When we say yes to His will, we’re giving Him our heart.
When we say yes to His law, we’re giving Him our heart.
It’s not about how hard the fast is, it’s about us doing this because we’re asked to do it. When it comes to going to Mass, it’s about going there because we’re asked to go there.
The heart of every sin is not caring what God wants and just doing what we want to do.
On Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, God’s call for us is to fast and to abstain from meat. He asks us through His Scripture and through His Church. When we say yes to this, we’re saying yes to him, and being obedient is an ultimate expression of our love.
This Lent, what you and I are called to do, is simply obey God’s commands. Why? Because we want to show our love to Him.