...a mixture of activities in London. Mass and receiving ashes at Westminster Cathedral. Great crowds, and long long lines of people trooping up to receive ashes...also a long, long line, steadily lengthening, of people waiting patiently to go to confession. The Cathedral newsletter includes a plea for more priests to volunteer to help out at the Cathedral with this...
A question, discussed annually: should one rub off the ashes from one's forehead, on the grounds that this is what we are asked to do: to anoint one's head with oil, as it were, and be cheerful, and not let anyone know about the fact that one is fasting etc? Or should one leave it there, on the grounds that this is an act of witness, reminding others that this is Ash Wednesday, an opportunity to evangelise, etc? The latter course risks turning into a smug look-at-me-I'm-a-good-Catholic, and frankly can be very annoying.
Auntie solved the issue this year anyway: hairdresser appointment prior to departure to the USA to make a new EWTN series. Shampooing, snipping, shaping...head anointed with oil, etc. No trace of ashes when I emerged into Victoria Street.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment