She believed in The LORD JESUS CHRIST . . . upset, but still alive. Jacksonville school shooting, 2018
Ashes to ashes and dust to dust,
in the sure and certain HOPE
of the RESURRECTION unto ETERNAL LIFE
through JESUS CHRIST our LORD.
at Whose+ Coming in Glorious Majesty will judge the world; and the corruptible bodies of those who sleep in HIM+ shall be changed, and made like unto His+ Glorious Body; according to the mighty working whereby HE+ is able to subdue all things unto Himself+.
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Ash Wednesday begins LENT. LENT is totally a Christian tradition of men , but one started very early in Christian history, earlier than Iraneaus, for he wrote about it circa 180 AD.
This “Paschal Fast” , now called LENT, was long in place by the time of Irenaeus.
Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyons, circa 180 A.D., writes about the “Paschal Fast” which some churches of which he knew established that season of fasting for 40 days before Easter while others fasted a lesser amount of time.
Interestingly, Irenaeus states in this same passage . . .
“And this variety among observers [ of the fasts ] had NOT ITS ORIGIN in our time , but LONG BEFORE in that of our PREDECESSORS . . .”
AnteNicene Fathers, Vol. 1, Fragments from the Lost Writings of Irenaeus, Paragraph III, pgs 568-569.
See also other Early Christian ( Pre-Nicene ) writers which described the PASCHAL FAST, in David Bercot’s Dictionary of Early Christian Beliefs, 1998, pg 402, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., Peabody, MA , [ Seventh Printing, 2008 ]
Although simply a Christian tradition of men, it is a worthy tradition which starts the serious season of repentance and fasting called Lent on the Christian calendar. “Lent” itself simply is a Germanic word which means “springtime.”
Traditionally, the PASCHAL FAST , LENT, is a time of deep reflection accompanied by fasting and an awareness for 40 days of WHAT it cost The LORD to deliver us sinners from our sin.
On Ash Wednesday, the ashes traditionally come from burning the palm branches waved during the churches’ Palm Sunday re-enactment of the Triumphal Entrance of The LORD JESUS CHRIST into Jerusalem, with the congregation proclaiming loudly , “Hosanna to the SON of DAVID !”
The Jerusalem crowd on that first Triumphal Entry on Palm Sunday was in fact identifying JESUS CHRIST as the promised JEWISH MESSIAH+.
The proclamations were TRUE. HE+ was in truth the promised MESSIAH+, the Son of David.
The crowd, however, was changeable and at any given moment could be roused to stone HIM+ or yell , “Crucify HIM+ ! Crucify HIM+ !”
Thus in this ASH WEDNESDAY tradition, the instruments of triumph, the palm branches churches used on Palm Sunday, are burned to bitter ashes.
The ashes are added to anointing oil and used to draw a Cross upon the forehead of Christians who attend services on Ash Wednesday.
These Scriptures are used during Ash Wednesday church services to remind us men to number our days:
Genesis 2:7
And the LORD God [ YHWH ELOHIM ] formed the Adam of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and the Adam became a living soul. [ Literal Hebrew ].
Genesis 3:19
In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.
Job_30:19 He hath cast me into the mire, and I am become like dust and ashes.
Job_34:15 All flesh shall perish together, and man shall turn again unto dust.
Job_42:6
Wherefore I abhor myself,
and repent in dust and ashes.
Ecc 3:20 All go unto one place; all are of the dust and all turn to dust again.
Ecc_12:7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto GOD Who gave it.
Isa_26:19 Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.
Dan_12:2
And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth
shall awake,
some to EVERLASTING LIFE,
and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
Psalm 90:12
So teach us to number our days,
that we may apply our hearts unto Wisdom.
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And, herein is WISDOM+ speaking:
Matthew 6:16-21
6:16 Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I+ say unto you, they have their reward.
6:17 But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; 6:18 That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy FATHER which is in secret: and thy FATHER, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.
6:19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
6:20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in Heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
6:21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
Matthew 6:16-21
And, from the mouth of the Prophet Joel:
2:11 And the LORD shall utter HIS Voice before HIS Army: for HIS camp is very great: for HE is strong that executeth HIS Word:
for the DAY OF THE LORD
is great and very terrible;
and who can abide it?
2:12 Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to ME with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:
2:13 And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your GOD: for HE is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth HIM of the evil.
Joel 2:11-13
Let us hear the Word of GOD from Our LORD JESUS CHRIST:
For GOD sent not HIS SON+
into the world to condemn the world;
but
that the world through HIM+ might be Saved.
John 3:17
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LET US PRAY:
Almighty and Everlasting GOD, Who hatest nothing that THOU hast made, and dost forgive the sins of all who repent;
Create in me a clean heart and renew a Right Spirit within me, that I, WORTHILY LAMENTING my sins and acknowledging my need before THEE,
may obtain from CHRIST our LORD perfect cleansing and forgiveness of my sinful state . . .
that I may perfectly love THEE and worthily magnify Thy HOLY NAME, through CHRIST our LORD, our only MEDIATOR and Great High PRIEST+ . Amen. ~ Parts adapted from the Book of COMMON PRAYER, 1945
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PSALM 51
51:1 Have mercy upon me, O GOD, according to Thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of Thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
51:2 Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
51:3 For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.
51:4 Against THEE, THEE only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Thy sight: that THOU mightest be justified when THOU speakest, and be clear when THOU judgest.
51:5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.
51:6 Behold, THOU desirest TRUTH+
in the inward parts:
and in the hidden part
THOU shalt make me to know WISDOM+.
51:7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
51:8 Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which THOU hast broken may rejoice.
51:9 Hide Thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.
51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O GOD;
and renew a right spirit within me.
51:11 Cast me not away from Thy Presence; and take not Thy HOLY SPIRIT from me.
51:12 Restore unto me the joy of Thy Salvation; and uphold me with Thy free spirit.
51:13 Then will I teach transgressors Thy Ways; and sinners shall be converted unto THEE.
51:14 Deliver me from blood-guiltiness, O GOD, THOU GOD of my Salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of Thy Righteousness+.
51:15 O LORD ADONAI+, open THOU+ my lips;
and my mouth shall shew forth Thy+ praise. [ literal Hebrew ]
51:16 For THOU desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: THOU delightest not in burnt offering.
51:17 The sacrifices of GOD are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O GOD, THOU wilt not despise.
51:18 Do good in Thy good pleasure unto Zion: build THOU the walls of Jerusalem.
51:19 Then shalt THOU be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar.
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