ASH WEDNESDAY

Almighty and eternal God, who didst grant the

Remedy of thy pardon to the Ninivites doing penance

in ashes and sackcloth, mercifully grant that we

may so imitate them in our attitude that like them

we may obtain goodness. Through our Lord. Amen

 

I like it how as a homeschool mum you can learn right alongside your children. Did you know the Ninivans were Gentiles and that was why Jonah was aghast at God expecting him a Jew to go to them. Here is a quote from “The Year and our Children” by Mary Reed Newland.

“We have a soft spot for the Ninivites because they were Gentiles, and Jonah refused to warn them of God’s anger over their sins because of his scorn of the Gentiles. The purpose of God’s command which Jonah disobeyed with dire consequences was to teach the Jews that even though they were the Chosen Ones’  they were not to despise Gentiles.

The Ninivites are a type of ourselves and the above prayer of blessing asks that we may be given the grace to imitate in our customs the spirit of their forty days fast in sackcloth and ashes which is a type of lent."

The Priest says as he makes the sign of the cross on our forehead, “Remember you are dust and to dust you shall return.”  It recalls how Adam came from dirt that God formed into man.  That admonishment is not an insult but a blessing.  It’s a reminder that we came from the love of God.