Christians to celebrate Ash Wednesday this week

Fr Frederick Joseph (centre) with altar servers Sellwyn Reuben Lewis (left) and Jason Robert preparing the dried palm fronds to be burnt.

ASH Wednesday (March 6), marks the start of Lent, a period of fasting for Christians.

Catholics and other Christian denominations in Malaysia and the world over will celebrate the day with special services. 

For the Catholics, it will be a special mass that includes the imposition of ashes (drawing the sign of the cross on their foreheads with ashes from last year’s Palm Sunday palms that are burned).  

Our Lady of Lourdes Church (OLL) Klang parish priest Rev Fr Frederick Joseph said Ash Wednesday marks the start of the Lenten season that seeks to prepare the heart of the believer for the solemn remembrance of Jesus’ death.

"Lent is a season marked by repentance, fasting, reflection and ultimately celebration.

"The 40-day period represents Jesus’ time of temptation in the wilderness, where he fasted and where Satan tempted him.

"During this period, believers are told to focus on Jesus’ life, ministry, sacrifice, and resurrection," he said.

Fr Frederick said the Ash Wednesday sermon is reflective in nature and the mood is solemn.

"During the mass, there is a responsive passage of scripture, punctured with periods of silence and the congregation will experience communal confession, as well as moments where they are prompted to reflect, confess their sins and pray,” he said.

He added that Lent is a time of reflection and a reminder of mortality as all of us will die one day.

Fr Frederick said at the mass, the congregation will be invited to receive the ashes which are placed in a cross pattern on the forehead with the words “from dust you came and from dust you will return".