St. Elisabeth’s Episcopal Church of Floral Park delivered its annual Ashes To Go program on Wednesday, March 5 on the train platform at Floral Park’s station.
This year, more than 70 local residents received ashes from the ministers at St. Elisabeth’s.
Ashes To Go has been offered nationwide; in New York, congregations upstate have previous participated. St. Elisabeth’s is possibly one of the first Long Island parishes to offer the “to go” service.
In 2013, Ashes to Go went international – in Canada, the UK and South Africa.
Ashes are an ancient sign of penitence. From the Middle Ages it became the custom to begin Lent by being marked in ash with the sign of the cross. The reminder that we are dust turns our attention to the creative power of God, and God’s ability to heal the brokenness in our lives when we offer that brokenness to God. That turning to God is the work of Lent, preparation for the celebration of Easter.
