MAHANOY CITY - Many Christian churches in Schuylkill County and throughout the country and world celebrated Ash Wednesday, many doing so by placing ashes on foreheads as a sign to repent and to change their lives.
The day is the start of the season of Lent and is observed in Western Christianity, including Roman Catholics, Lutherans, Methodists and Anglicans/Episcopalians. Catholics and some Protestant denominations impose ashes, while others hold prayer services without ashes.
Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Rite Catholics began the Great Fast/Great Lent this past Monday, called Clean Monday, and do not observe Ash Wednesday. There are two Eastern Catholic rites - Syro-Malabar and Maronite - that distribute ashes on Clean Monday.
Blessed Teresa of Calcutta Roman Catholic Church in Mahanoy City celebrated Mass at 6:45 a.m., which had many younger people in attendance to receive their ashes. The Rev. Kevin Gallagher, pastor, explained the reason for the use of ashes during his homily.
"The mark on our forehead reminds us that throughout the year, we have sinned and that our souls have become blackened with those sins," Gallagher said. "That mark reminds us that we must do penance for these things to improve ourselves to become better."
Gallagher reminded everyone that at last year's Ash Wednesday Masses, people were given a small nail to remind them of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for them, and as they carried the nail with them during Lent, they would be reminded of the sacrifices they should make.
This year, each person was asked to take a small bar of soap. Gallagher said when he was growing up, those in his family who were caught lying or using foul language, "out came the soap."
"Mother would make us stick out our tongue and our tongue would be washed," he said. "Mother used to say, 'Foul mouths deserve soap.' That's what I want you to think about this year. None of us can make total improvements in ourselves. Improvements come one step at a time. You know, I've heard a lot of foul language in Mahanoy City. I know a lot with arguments about snow. But that doesn't mean we can't wean ourselves of it."
Gallagher invited everyone to take a bar of soap after receiving ashes and carry it with them throughout Lent.
"Think about all the times you take the Lord's name in vain, get angry at a neighbor, times when you might swear or curse and never give it a second thought, when you tell little lies or when you gossip about a neighbor and think nothing of it," he said. "Let us try to cleanse what we say to make our world a better place."
After the ashes were blessed, they were distributed, with the words, "Remember, man, that you art dust, and unto dust you shalt return," as each forehead was marked.
At 9:30 a.m., an Ash Wednesday Mass was celebrated in Annunciation BVM Roman Catholic Church in Shenandoah with the student body from Trinity Academy. The students participated in the Mass, which was celebrated by the Rev. John Bambrick, pastor of St. Joseph and St. Mauritius parishes in Ashland and Our Lady of Good Counsel parish in Gordon.
Third-grade children processed along the center aisle holding cards with letters spelling "Alleluia," took them to the front and then carried them back as an acknowledgement that the word will not be used during Lent in Masses but will return at Easter Sunday.
"I hope you all made your promise to God what you're going to give up," Bambrick said during his homily, noting that many people seem to have the same things each year that they give up, be it food, cigarettes, alcohol or other things.
"You keep up giving up the same things year after year, and being the same person you were in grade school, high school, married, with a family and ready for death," he said. "What reward is there? What did you get out of it? Was it just something to do? What does Lent really mean?"
Bambrick told the children how fortunate they are to be taught by the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, who have a "gift from God in having the joy of living the Gospel." He spoke of the sacrifices the sisters have made to serve God at all times.
"They're doing all these things for Christ," Bambrick said. "This is a taste of heaven."