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POINT PLEASANT BEACH — Ashes-to-go made its return to the Point Pleasant Beach train station on Feb. 14, Ash Wednesday, courtesy of the borough’s St. Mary’s by-the-Sea Episcopal Church.
Early risers and travelers on Wednesday could drop by the Point Pleasant Beach station between 6:30 and 8 a.m. to receive their blessing. The Ocean Star spoke to the Reverends Debbie Brewin-Wilson and Rocco Sherman, who administered ashes on-site to those observing Lent. They spoke of the significance of ashes and of Lent overall.
“The ashes are a sign of penance,” said the Rev. Brewin-Wilson, the church’s priest-in-charge. “So, on Ash Wednesday, we’re invited to spend the next six weeks of Lent by turning back to God — working on our relationship with God…through prayer, almsgiving and fasting.”
The Rev. Brewin-Wilson explained how the church fits into the Lent equation, saying that it helps to further those three goals by inviting people “to work on their prayer life” and “to give alms; to give donations either through their church or through charities and organizations to help better the world.”
She also said that “fasting” can take many forms, not just the traditional abstinence from food like sweets.
“Fasting [is] not just a food-fast,” she said. “The old thing used to be ‘I’m giving up’ whatever — caffeine, wine, chocolate — but I invite people to think about doing other things instead…Like I said to the kids on Saturday at church, [they could] fast from fighting with their brothers and sisters.”
This is an excerpt of the print article. For more on this story, read The Ocean Star—on newsstands Friday or online in our e-Edition.
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