MOTJARI YOUTH GROUP
DATE: 2/20/2015 6:50pm PLACE: St. Paul Hasang Church (DesPlaines)
SPEAKER: Fr. Foeckler TOPIC: What is Ash Wednesday
Fr. Foeckler started out with a prayer.
He then asked a question…. What is Ash Wednesday?
Ash Wednesday is the first day that marks the beginning of Lent that marks with the penitence.
It occurs 46 days (40 fasting days, 6 Sundays are excluded) before Easter.
According to the gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke, Jesus Christ spent 40 days
fasting in the desert, where he endured temptation by Satan.
Lent originated as a mirroring of this, fasting 40 days as preparation for Easter.
Ash Wednesday derives its name from the practice of blessing ashes made from palm branches
blessed on the previous year’s Palm Sunday, and placing them on the heads of participants to
the accompaniment words “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return”.
What do we learn from Jesus’ example?
1) To forgive sins
2) To show His Love
3) To be a role model
4) To teach the philosophy of christian life
5) To show the ugliness of sins
Fr. Foeckler also emphasized to keep asking why?
Don’t be afraid of doubts but yet find answers in the right places.
Helpful in finding God’s existence, you can go to wordonfire.org and watch Fr. Robert Barron.
There were additional 7 visitors from St. Paul Youth Group and Stephanie Yang, Youth Coordinator
in attendence.
Finally Fr. Foeckler advised us to prepare Easter by
1) add a little more prayer
2) Do simple sacrifices like chores, etc
3) Do something for others
