By Polycarp Ifeanyi
Hon. Sir. Ifeanyichukwu E.S. Nnajiaku is a member of knight of St. Molumba and immediate past President general of Catholic Men Organization (CMO) Onitsha Catholic Archdiocese.
He is also a Community leader and educationist. He speaks with corenews.com.ng on the meaning of Ash Wednesday, it’s importance, significance and purpose.
WHAT IS THE MEANING OF ASH WEDNESDAY ?
Ash Wednesday is the beginning of 40 days wilderness encounter of Jesus Christ during which He was led by the spirit of God into the wilderness for 40 days and 40 night. Ash Wednesday can also be explain as the beginning of lenten period of every Churches’ calendar.
There are three calendar years in the Church. They are; year 1, year 2 and, year 3. Also year A, year B and year C. Any Christian who can be able to follow these calendars, invariably, the person has read the entire Bible from Genesis to Revelation. Ash Wednesday is biblical.
WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANT OF ASH WEDNESDAY AND IT’S MEANING ?
The Church in its wisdom adopted Ash Wednesday because when you count the period of Ash Wednesday to Easter, it is complete 40 days. Then, Ash Wednesday is a period to remind Christians that we came from dust and dust shall we return to (meaning life and death). It is also reminds us where we came from and where we will go back.
It is again a period of self denial, a period someone will have subber reflection of him or her life and self sacrifice of many things. Prayer, almsgiving, fasting, penance, observing station of the cross, saying Rosary daily and visiting Blessed Sacrament are good but not enough while observing lent. Some within the period will say they can not eat meat even if they have not being eating meat in the past. So, the issue of not eating meat doesn’t make any difference.
Someone will go into fasting from 6-12, 6-1, 6-3, 6-6 as case may be. But the highest sacrifice one has to offer to him or her self is to discover the weak point of his or her life and try to avoid those areas and allow the spirit of God to rule over flesh. If you are a type of person who talks too much, you may decide to apply keeping quiet and meditation during the lenten period.
If you are one who goes to area that causes you to commit Sin, avoid the area and withdraw yourself from following people to the area then, you have generally observed lent. Someone should be even preventing Sin as a way to live spiritual life by trying to identify the areas flesh has been causing him not to do the will of God.
AS A KNIGHT OF THE CHURCH, WHAT IS YOUR CALL TO THE PEOPLE OF GOD IN THIS EASTER FESTIVAL ?
Within this Easter period, Church is calling on all the Christians all over the world to follow Christ into the wilderness for wilderness encounter. Wilderness encounter which somebody like John the Baptist encountered God through the wilderness experience and that was why he didn’t live where others were living during his own days. He was not wearing clothes like others wearing. He doesn’t take alcohol and other foods.
His only food was locust and honey and that is called desert experience ( All alone with God). Then, Samuel also had special encounter with God. That was why he was not living in ordinary place except in the temple of God where his ears was opened to hear when God started calling him.
Therefore, Christians can as well withdraw from the earthly things no matter the level of hardship. They should indulge in self detachment and focus more on things about God .
WHAT ARE THE CRITICAL PERIOD BEFORE THE MAIN EASTER FEASTIVAL ?
The critical period before the main Easter period is called Triduum. Trindum included; Holy Thursday, Holy Friday and Holy Saturday. This is a period Christ went into (Shahole) from the moment after the last supper of Holy Thursday. He was able to institute the sacrament of Eucharistic and able to ordain priests.
After Christ left us with something perpetual, His blood and body which is presence in every tabernacle in the Catholic Church. So, the three days is very critical and important for every laity who is a Catholic. That is a period Church said, ” you must go to confession at least ones in a year” and that is the Triduum I said before. The three days is Holy because, the whole world is silent and waiting for what will happen to Christ who was crucified on Good Friday. Whether He would resurrect or not, whether all His preachings and predictions would come to pass.
Christ died and released those who have died starting from Adam and Eve, our fore- fathers and mothers. That was why Christ went into Shahole and was able to push the hole and loose the dead and open the door of paradise for those who believes in Christ .
In summary, any Christian who is a Catholic and failed to participate fully in this season is really missing a lot of things. It is good if you are a Mother, Father, youth and even clergies to participate and adhere to all these lenten rules, knowing fully well that when someone who is washing clothes is also washing hands.
It is also pertinent to understand that by the time we finished everything on Earth, we shall stand in the presence of God to render account of all our stewardship which will led us to the everlasting hand of God.
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