Thursday, March 02, 2017

Ash Wednesday in Dulce Nombre

The parish celebrated a 9:00 morning Mass in Dulce Nombre de Copán for Delegates of the Word from the villages of the parish, as well as for people in town. After Mass, the Delegates were given ashes to distribute in their villages later today.

I assisted as deacon at the Mass, reading the Gospel.

During the imposition of ashes, our pastor, Padre German, gave me a special responsibility.

He imposed the ashes on the foreheads of all those in attendance, using the formula, “Remember you are dust and to dust you will return.”

I was at the side with a Bible. (I didn’t know that we would need the Book of the Gospels.) After people had received the ashes they came to me and placed their hand on the bible. I invited them: “Repent and believe in the Gospel.”

Some people were a little taken aback at this – and a bit confused. But I was struck by two little girls who put their hands on the Bible, heard me tell them to repent and believe in the Gospel, and then responded with a heartfelt “Si!” – Yes!


Lent is a time to say “Si!” – Yes – to the Good News, in a world plagued with bad news.

In the afternoon I went to Delicias Concepción for a Celebration of the Word with Ashes and Communion. I returned home in the dark - but it was a day filled with light.



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