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But what if you only get the True Mass infrequently and still wish to show your outward desire to do penance for your sins? Some Churches do give ashes on the Sunday following, but of late this is becoming the exception more than the rule. What can we do to show God our desire for pleasing Him this Ash Wednesday? Let me give you an example. When one can not go to Communion for various reasons one can make a spiritual Communion and at least desire to receive God into our hearts. There are many examples of this through the lives of the saints. Can we at least desire in our hearts to receive ashes? Most certainly we can, and we can even do a little bit more. Studies have been done on the effects of good and bad words upon water, there is a book on this subject called "The Secret life of water". This book shows the effects upon water when good and bad things are spoken. It is then frozen and observed under a powerful microscope the effect is truly amazing. Below is one of the pictures. Please note that the water received a blessing from a non catholic. How much more beautiful would be the effect of a prayer from God's true Church
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God is more and more withdrawing from this world which has rejected Him. More and more we need to realise that the usual means for receiving God's graces are being taken away as well. We need to have the Faith to realise that God has given us all the best contents for our spiritual Bug out Bag, namely Sacramentals. Our Lady said to St Dominic that with her scapular and Rosary she would one day convert the world. This means that one day we shall not have the sacraments and ministers of the sacraments there to help us.
Below I post the prayers said for the blessing of Ashes on Ash Wednesday. The ashes are made from burning blessed palms from Palm Sunday. The places where the sign of the cross are usually made over the ashes, make a sign of the cross upon yourself.
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