This Ash Wednesday we had 832 people come to our house to receive ashes on their forehead. We have a chapel attached to our house. The chapel used to be normal church size, but when the city widened the road from two to four-lanes, they cut the chapel so that it is now only about 15-20 feet deep. It still is on a busy street and is open for Eucharistic adoration every Thursday. People stop by outside daily, mid-walk, to pray and/or light a candle. The doctor down the street from us donates flower arrangements in the shape of animals: lions, bears, butterflies, dogs, cats, etc to decorate the area. Other people leave their flower donations outside, or push them through the small opening people use to leave candles.
On Ash Wednesday, the youth group came over and from 10am-8:30pm we opened the chapel doors and gave out ashes to whoever stopped by. Micro-bus drivers would stop outside, rush out, get their ashes, and then rush back into their bus to continue their route. Other bus drivers going in the opposite direction would stop their buses and motion out the window for us to come to them to give them ashes in their bus. People came from everywhere, some mid-walk, others purposely coming to our chapel to receive ashes.
Kirsten Kyle, Incarnate Word Missionary
Santa Fe, D.F., Mexico
This sounds so wonderful and inspiring. Even though the chapel is so small people were able to get their ashes even truck drivers. This is wonderful because people that usually would not have been able to get their ashes were able to get them! How inpsiring!
ReplyDeleteAs a student at Incarnate Word, we were provided with different time slots to recieved ashes on Ash Wednesday. After class I was able to recieve my ashes along with my friends and student at the University. While reading about the bus drivers stoping and receiving their ashes reminded me of the students stopping in between their classes for the ashes.
ReplyDeleteAsh Wednesday is celebrated all over the world by people of Catholic faith. We should not be fearful to express our faith, but sadly enough some are afraid. I believe we should speak our love for the Lord daily, but Ash Wednesday is one day that bring people together to represent unity for ones faith.
ReplyDeleteIt is amazing how so many people can travel to a small area just to receive ashes. They may go to pray and take a journey of faith also. For some people receiving ashes is a tradition and it is something that must happen to begin their lenten traditions. It is wonderful to hear that people all across the world can receive ashes just as we do.
ReplyDelete