Arizona republican., 1901-02-20

mighty works had been done that hay" been done in you, they would long ago have done penance in sack-cloth and ashes Matt. XI:21.
 In the early ages of the church the bishop. on Ash-W Wednesday used to sprinkle those who had tn, misfortune to commit public sins with ashes 1 ThortupOn he led them out of the church, remnGing them of Adam hay ing been driven out of Paradise Then standing at the .ntrance of tn. church he exhorted them not to despair o' 'ilne mercy, but, by fasting. prayer. almSgiNng and other goods works. tu render themselves worthy of being re- c"iNed again nto church on Holy- Thursday.
 Ihe public pgnanca was abolished Tn the course of time. but the ceremony "i imposing ashes upon the heads of the faithful was kept up. that all mighr be reminded of the necessity of doing p'nance. For. having sim |. D nance iS the only means of salvation Jeff.
 H.'Ss you do penance you shall all likewise perish" Luke XIII:3.
 nc ashes used or Ash Wednesday arr the ashes of burnt palm branches. mat W,fe blessed on Palm Sunday Q. thr previous year. Since palm branche, are regarded as a symbol of peace ana Of victory or glory. their ashes remind us Doth of the peace with God and our S'iNes pelhg lost to Us, and as it were. burnt to ashes in consequence nf our S'hS' Whlrh We must regain by pen- ahre; and of the perishablcncss of | mporal joys and worldly glory. which We must not make the chief obiec, of our earthly existence. Hence the words pronounced in distributing the ashes are: Remember, O man. that thou ar. dust, and art to return into dust .' which in meaning are the same as those of Eccles. VII:40: Tn all thy works remember thy last end: and thou shalt never sin.
 Lent is as old as the church. It Was instituted by the Apostles in imi- tdilon of the forty days fast of Christ. The object and happy fruits of fasting are beautifully expressed in the words Of St. John Chrysostom: Before our diNne savior went into combat and temptations which the devil prepared for him, he lasted forty days. givng us
 '' '''' i''N ''''''' 'g lh7llilE anu 'il austere life, we must arm ourselves against the assaults of the devil
 'The number forty. is remarkable Tn holy scripture, because events of the utmost importance 10 man Were ac- complished within this space of time. from the forty days of the deluge to the forty days of our Lords staying on earth after his resurrection As Moses before givng the o,d law. and Elias be- fore reforming tho morals of the peo- p.e, lasted forty days. SD Christ. be- fore giving the new law. retired into the deep solitude of thr desert for forty days to fast and pray in preparation for his divine mission
 Tn the primitive az of Christianity the forty days fast, though not strict ly commanded, but only recommended. was. universally observed in q very rigorous manner by the faithful. Their fervors rendered a precept supernuous wh n, in the lapse of time, this Chris tan fervor began to decrease more and more, the forty days fast became q precept. Such it was already in the fourth century, for St. Ambrose writes: The rest of the year. fyasting is a virtue and deserves special reward; but not to fast during Lent is a mortal sin. The former is voluntary. but the latter is necessary; the free will resolv,s to do the former, but the most holy law commands the latter. This law. though greatly moderated is in force today, and the church every year in
 culcates it on the faithful"
 IENTE,N pEcTrU aTTo\c
 Bishop Granjon, bishop of the dio- cese of Tucson, has issued the following regulations:
 By special indult of the Holy Ed ther the following Lenten regulations will be observed in the diocese of Tue son until otherwise provided for.
 1. Flesh meat is allowed to all on Sundays at all meals, and once each at the principal meal on the following days in Lent: all Mondays, Tuesdays. "Wednesday by special ndult for this diocese. se.-Thursdays and Saturdays eN- cept Ash Wedn sday. the second We'd nesday and the second and the last Saturdays of Lent.
 ?. Flesh meat may be used by those who are excused from fas ing. more than once day. on the days on which il is allowed once q day to those who