Pomona, CA, February 21, 2021 ASH WEDNESDAY 2021, a focus on our own mortality and sinfulness.  

Catholics around the world celebrated Ash Wednesday on February 17, 2021. St Joseph AACC celebrated Ash Wednesday during the weekly Sunday Mass, weekend of 2/20/2021, at both the Pomona and Redlands Campuses with a combined attendance, not counting streaming, of over 200 parish members.  Father Ala offered ashes to those who were not able to receive it on Ash Wednesday.

Given the restrictions COVID-19 imposed on us, Father Ala improvised with a new technique of passing on the ashes. He used an individual Q-Tip, emersed it in water, and then dipped it in the blessed ashes and applied it to the foreheads of the faithful while saying "Remember you are dust and to dust you shall return", and the receiver would reply “Amen”.  

The ashes used in this service were prepared by burning palm branches from the previous Palm Sunday -- On Palm Sunday, churches bless and hand out Palm Branches to attendees, a reference to Gospels’ account of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, when onlookers lay palm branches on his path.

The homily during the mass, was entitled “Tempted by the Good”. Fr. Ala touched on a new perspective of our understanding of “temptation”. He said: “The popular meaning of temptation is enticing a person to do wrong. When we think of temptations, we immediately think of bad things. However, it is not only evil which can lead us astray. Good can do just as effectively. In fact, all temptation comes under the guise of good”.

To Catholics the ashes of this holiday symbolize two main things: death and repentance. “Ashes are equivalent to dust, and human flesh is composed of dust or clay -- “Then the Lord formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being, Genesis 2:7” --, and when a human corpse decomposes, it returns to dust or ash.  

When we come forward to receive ashes on Ash Wednesday, we are saying that we are sorry for our sins, and that we want to use the season of Lent to correct our faults, purify our hearts, control our desires and grow in holiness so we will be prepared to celebrate Easter with great joy.”  

Father Ala in a follow up call reiterated that with this focus on our own mortality and sinfulness, the faithful can enter the Lent season solemnly, while also looking forward in greater anticipation and joy of the message of Easter and Christ’s ultimate victory over sin and death.

The mass was extra ordinally celebratory by the amazing choir voices of Angela, Enas & Maran, and Roger on the keyboard.   

Throughout this holy time, you may visit the Church Website (stjosephaacc.org) for up the minute Lent related services and events dates and information. Here are some important upcoming dates; Palm Sunday-2/28/2021, 3:00pm, The week leading up to Easter-March 28-April 4.