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The Forgery Scandals in "The Jerusalem Report".Potpourri: Kinkade, Sword, McLaren, Cthulhu.More on the SBL Resolution on Biblical Values.

To continue to wear them would be practicing my piety before others. Because God knows that I have attended the service and am penitent. I have decided that next year I certainly will attend and receive ashes, but I will clean my face.

But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that your fasting may be seen not by others but by your Father who is in secret and your Father who sees in secret will reward you." Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. "And whenever you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces so as to show others that they are fasting. Jesus said, "Beware of practicing your piety before others in order to be seen by them for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven." Then tonight I heard for the second time the Gospel reading that begins: Throughout the day, back on campus, I thought (somewhat hesitantly) how convenient it was that my hair was long enough in the front to obfuscate my cross. Therefore, it is possible to observe the BAS rite online without including the Imposition of Ashes. However, the rite does not require this action to take place. Today I served at a noon service and just returned from an evening service with my family. 281) in The Book of Alternative Services (BAS) is structured to include the Imposition of Ashes. I was reared ("You raise crops and cattle," says my mom) a Presbyterian, but I have been an Anglican/Episcopalian for 12 years. It is surprising how similar our thoughts. Sometime around the ninth or tenth century, this 40-day Lenten discipline merged with another service the church had developed several hundred. (Biblical models for this included Noah's time on the Ark and Jesus' temptation in the wilderness, as well as Israel's wandering in the wilderness for 40 years.) The origins of our modern Lenten practices go back to the earliest days of the church, when potential converts first underwent a fast of 40 hours before their baptisms at the Easter Vigil-soon extended to a period of prayer, fasting, and contemplation lasting 40 days. "No," I said, "it's a church thing." And so it is. "Is it some kind of sorority hazing thing?" "I've seen a lot of people with those marks on their forehead today," she asked. When the service was over-having heard a reading from Joel 2, recited Psalm 51, prayed for forgiveness, and received Communion-I went out into the bright noon sunshine and got on the bus that would take me across campus to my next class. Amen." Then he dipped his thumb in a small dish of ashes and, with the words "Remember you are dust and to dust you shall return," marked the sign of the cross on my forehead. He prayed, "Almighty God, you have created us out of the dust of the earth: Grant that these ashes may be to us a sign of our mortality and penitence, that we may remember that it is only by your gracious gift that we are given everlasting life through Jesus Christ our Savior. In the darkness of the quiet stone church on Ash Wednesday, I went forward to the front at the end of a long line and, when my turn came, knelt before the pastor.