Ash Wednesday 2021: Sprinkles, Social Media and Me

Today is Ash Wednesday. The COVID-19 pandemic is still in progress, so this one will be a bit different.

I’ll still get ash on my head. But instead of getting a thumb-drawn cross on my forehead, I’ll get a sprinkling on my head. Seems that this offends and affronts some Catholics.

Me? I’d prefer getting that cross on my forehead this year.

But I’m okay with doing what I can and not fussing — to excess — at what I can’t. And letting the Pope and bishops sort out policy during a pandemic.

Speaking of doing what I can, fasting — apart from meatless Fridays or similar ‘quality’ rather than ‘quality’ changes — isn’t, medically, a good idea. Not for me.

I talked about this a couple years back. (March 2, 2019)

And I put links to Lenten resources at the end of this journal entry.1

Doing What I Can

Happily, harming myself isn’t required. The Church recognizes age and disease, makes allowances — and has rules for this sort of thing. Seems I’m too old and too sick for the full fasting experience.

Which leaves me with working out what I will do for Lent this year. Apart from an extra set of prayers and meditations — which I’ll talk about another day. Maybe.

I also plan on changing my online habits during Lent.

If I thought I was overwhelmed by “information overload,” or feared that “loss of identity,” maybe I’d cut back or simply cut out Internet activity. I’m not feeling overwhelmed, and I’m too emphatically “me” to fear loss of identity.

So I’ll continue researching and writing. And plan on adding something new: making a point of reading what a few bloggers write, can commenting when it seems appropriate.

I’ve talked about social media, being Catholic and making sense before:


1 Regarding Lent:

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About Brian H. Gill

I was born in 1951. I'm a husband, father and grandfather. One of the kids graduated from college in December, 2008, and is helping her husband run businesses and raise my granddaughter; another is a cartoonist and artist; #3 daughter is a writer; my son is developing a digital game with #3 and #1 daughters. I'm also a writer and artist.
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2 Responses to Ash Wednesday 2021: Sprinkles, Social Media and Me

  1. The Only True Catholic Way To Prevent Conception Would Be To Have No Sex, Any Other Way Would Be Way , Would Be A Sin. Same As Having A Abortion Because It’s All In Your Heart To Stop Life. Use A Little Bit Of Integrity=Knowing Right From Wrong. . Please PRAY FOR YOURSELF To Change The Bad In YOU. YOU HAVE CONTROL IN YOURSELF ONLY .And No Sex, Would Be Natural Family Planning If’s It In Your Heart And If It Works , You Would Be Stopping The Life.: If You Do Post Please Only Post About Reducing Your Energy Bills This Would Not Be About Self. Go Somewhere Else And Post It. It’s About Helping People To Learn How To Reduce Their Bills This Page Would Be About Helping People In Need “No Selling” No Selling It’s 4 Four Years Now I Have Been Trying To Start A School For Do It Your Self Solar Energy But. It Don’t Look Like It Will Work Here In North Alabama Everyone Loves High Energy Bills No One Thinking About Climate Change Everyone Going To Mars To Live So, Much Money To Waste On A Dream Mother Earth Was Made Just For Mankind To Live Everyone Must Go To Mars And Trash It . Good Luck Have A Good Trip. But We Are Following A New God And It Will Kill Us All ” Greed ” Mother Earth Has A System ( Heat Rise To The Sky, Cold Drops To Mother Earth ) ( God Made The Environment,

    • Let’s see.

      Knowing right from wrong makes sense.

      For some couples, preventing conception isn’t the issue. Achieving it is.

      Praying for myself makes sense. Which is why I do so daily, along with praying for others.

      Your passion seems to be lowering energy bills. Which makes sense.

      Me? I’m impressed by God’s creation. Which is why I plan on continuing to write about it. And, occasionally, about me: since I’m part of God’s creation.

Thanks for taking time to comment!