Staff Reporter

March 5. Ash Wednesday. The day is of special significance to Christians. The Christian penitential period begins on Ash Wednesday. From this day until the next forty days, Christians spend special sacrifices, prayers and fasting. After forty days of penitential period, Easter Sunday or Resurrection Day comes. On Ash Wednesday, Christians go to church and apply ashes on their foreheads. This expresses their sorrow, repentance and atonement for their sins. At the same time, Ash Wednesday is also a day of realization that people are mortal and that one day they will have to leave this world again. Usually, the church father or priest applies ashes in the form of a cross (†) on the foreheads of Christians. These ashes are made by burning the dates and palm leaves used on the previous year’s ‘Palm Sunday’. While applying the ashes in the form of the sign of the cross (†) on the foreheads of Christians, the church father or priest pronounces the phrase ‘Dust you are, and to dust you shall return’. The quote is taken from the Christian holy book, the Bible. The Bible’s Genesis (Torah) chapter 3 verse 19 reads, “For dust you were made, and to dust you shall return.” In addition, Ecclesiastes chapter 3 verse 20 reads, “All go to one place; all are made of dust, and to dust they return.” Special preparations have been made in churches around the world to mark Ash Wednesday. Christians observe the day with appropriate solemnity and self-sacrifice. Like the rest of the country, the Children of Light Church in Maliat village of Sadki Union in Kumarkhali Upazila of Kushtia celebrated the worship and ashes ceremony from afternoon to evening. Reverend Zaker ALi Shuva, General Secretary of Bangladesh Christian Association Kushtia District Branch and Bishop of Children of Light Church, performed the duties of the priest in the holy ceremony. At that time, he said that this life is mortal, temporary. The life after death is eternal. The name of that eternal life is heaven and hell. As we do in this world, we will be judged in the afterlife. We will be eternal residents of heaven or hell. That is why sacrifice, prayer and charity are very necessary in this worldly life.’ At this time, he also said – the followers of Christ will prepare themselves for a long 40 days. It is mentioned in verse 13 of chapter 1 of the Gospel of Mark of the Holy Bible, ‘Jesus remained in the wilderness for 40 days. At that time, Satan tried to test him with various temptations. When he was physically weak after fasting, Satan came to tempt him. Although Jesus Christ was the Son of God, there was also human nature in him. When he was very hungry after fasting for 40 days, Satan understood that this was the best time to tempt him. But Jesus conquered all temptations.’ Satan’s temptation had four aspects. First, he showed Jesus the greed of physical food. Then, wealth. After that, he showed the greed of the kingdom. Then he challenged Jesus; he asked for proof whether he was the son of God. Satan even challenged the prophets of the Holy Bible with the future prophecies. But Jesus conquered all temptations. Basically, following Jesus’ 40 days of fasting and prayer, we Catholic Christians all over the world fast, pray and confess for 40 days from March 5. The main goal of this abstinence is self-purification. Fasting or fasting teaches us to be abstinent. Fasting or fasting is not complete unless we only eat physically. The real lesson of fasting is to pray, give, live a holy life, benefit people, and forgive our enemies. In this regard, in the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 6, chapters 16 to 18 of the Holy Bible, it is said, ‘When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites. In this regard, in the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 6, chapters 16 to 18 of the Holy Bible, it is said, ‘When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites. For they disfigure their faces to show men that they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head, and wash your face, so that your fasting may not be known to others. Then your Father who sees in secret will reward you.’ He warned us to be careful not to fast in public, to tell people or to think so, or to boast about our good deeds in public. He said about charity, ‘When you give, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.’ That is, we should not tell people when we give. Our charity will be in secret, which only God will see and know, and He will reward us. These rewards will be stored for us for the afterlife. Through these 40 days of fasting and confession, we Christians remember the suffering and pain of the Lord Jesus (the Prophet Jesus according to Islam). The words he preached, the teachings he gave, the miracles he performed while he was in this world are all the objects of our meditation. The Catholic Church all over the world has divided the entire year into five parts. Among them, this forty-day period is called the period of penance or the period of atonement. The main teaching of this period is confession, so that we can truly become worthy of entering His kingdom of heaven. These 40 days are divided into seven weeks. It begins with Ash Wednesday on March 5. During this time, Catholic believers cannot have any kind of joy or celebration. No weddings or any festivities can be held. Vegetarianism or giving up meat, fasting, and in some cases, certain age limits are mandatory. The last week of the seven weeks is called the most holy week. This week commemorates the death of Jesus Christ on the cross. The last Friday is called Good Friday. On this day, Jesus Christ was crucified. Even though he was the Son of God, he proved the love of God the Father for mankind by sacrificing his life on the cross. He sacrificed his life on the cross mainly for the salvation of our sins. April 18 will be the day he died. Good Friday will be celebrated all over the world. Three days after that, the resurrection will be celebrated. That is, he will conquer death and rise again. He will rise again. His resurrection is the connection between heaven and hell. He has confirmed the life after death, which is eternal, through resurrection. The life for which we will accumulate good deeds in this temporary life. So, the church wants to teach us this lesson during this penance. The fact that this earthen body will turn into dust after death is basically reminded by applying ashes on the forehead on March 5. Because, none of us know when death will come into our lives. Therefore, we are reminded of this mortal life to always be ready for it. Let the lesson of ‘Ash Wednesday’ be a meditation on every moment of our lives.