Ash Wednesday: Beginning Lent with Prayer, Repentance, Fasting, and Spiritual Spring Cleaning
On Blessed Mary Messages, Cristy and Father Perry introduce a new Lent-focused segment on Ash Wednesday. Father Perry leads an opening prayer asking for humility, repentance, fasting from bitterness and unkindness, renewed hope, and guidance toward Easter. He explains Ash Wednesday as the first day of Lent and an opportunity to become fully available to God through repentance and spiritual “spring cleaning,” using the example of clearing out an overfilled garage and a suggested prayer giving Jesus permission to prune and renew one’s spiritual life. He shares highlights from a longer document available via QR code/newsletter, including biblical references to repentance in dust, ashes, and sackcloth (Job, Jeremiah, Daniel, Jonah) and notes that Christians historically used ashes, with Catholics receiving ashes since the time of St. Gregory the Great and Pope Urban II encouraging church-wide use. He clarifies Ash Wednesday is not a holy day of obligation, but encourages attending Mass or a prayer service to receive ashes with the formula “Remember man, thou art dust and to dust thou shall return,” and describes the order of imposition of ashes in communal celebrations. The episode covers abstinence from meat (unless medically exempt) and fasting rules for Catholics ages 14–59 (one full meal plus two smaller meals not equaling a full meal), emphasizing small sacrifices to strengthen willpower and faith. Father Perry discusses Lenten practices such as Stations of the Cross on Fridays, notes liturgical color changes to purple/violet (and rose on the fourth Sunday), and mentions that “Alleluia” is omitted until Easter. They invite viewers/listeners to join a mailing list for the full document and resources, including questions, prayer requests, downloads, and possible spiritual direction contact, and explain that Saturday episodes will focus on Lent while returning to Blessed Mary apparitions after Lent. The episode closes with a blessing and encouragement to embrace Lent.
00:00 Welcome + Opening Prayer for Ash Wednesday
01:38 How to Get the Full Lent Document (Newsletter/QR Code)
02:18 Sackcloth & Ashes Storytime + What Ash Wednesday Means
04:13 Repentance & Spiritual “Spring Cleaning” for Lent
06:14 When Is Ash Wednesday? Biblical Roots of Ashes
07:33 Church History: How Ashes Became a Catholic Practice
08:26 Obligation, Abstinence, and Small Sacrifices That Build Willpower
10:10 Fasting Rules Explained (Ages, Meals) + Making Lent Personal
12:02 Receiving Ashes at Mass: The Formula & How the Rite Works
14:50 Lenten Season Basics: Colors, Desert Symbolism, Stations of the Cross
17:40 No ‘Alleluia’ Until Easter + What’s Coming Next in the Series
19:14 Final Blessing, Wrap-Up, and How to Send Questions/Prayer Requests
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