It is aHime of penitence and atonement. Faithful Christians go Yoga poses intermediate to mass on this day to receive a blessing of ashes. These ashes are created by Yoga poses intermediateburning the palm leaves from the previous year s Palm Sunday Mass Yoga poses intermediate , which takes place a week before Easter, and are placed by a priest on the Yoga poses intermediate forehead in the sign of the cross. I didn’t start to participate in this holiday until adulthood, but I have grown to look forward to this six-week period of time as an excuse to withdraw a bit from the world and make a few sacrifices on behalf of my beliefs.
Since visiting India and being inspired by the outward display of faith by Hindus with their bindis or taliks, Buddhists with their shaved heads and orange or purple robes, and Muslims with their covered heads, I really enjoy experiencing that single day in the year as a Catholic Christian when I can show off my faith, when others on the street or in the workplace look at you as an oddball. It sometimes amazes me how many Christians know so little about their own religion. I can only imagine that this is a common denominator among many of the others, as well. Most years, on this particular day, I carry on with my life as usual, going to work and meetings with my ashes after mass.
