Sign of the Smudge

You know you are being trivial when you are annoyed by the form of the ashes on your head received from the disposition of the ashes during today’s Mass. Every year I hope for a shape that somewhat resembles a cross. Instead it is the sign of the smudge. Is it just me or do others desire a nice POD ash shaped cross centered nicely on their forehead? Well this is the season of penance so I should just get over it or maybe next year I should volunteer to help do the ashes. Maybe I will have more sympathy for the priest and the laity doing this after they have drawn their hundredth cross in a row. Though maybe I would come up with a better way to do it. Possibly a cross stencil with a sprayer connected to a canister of ashes would do nicely. Followed by a spray of some kind of clear coat to keep it intact for the day.

Here is a ash related story.

AKRON, Ohio You have to burn something to get the ashes used on Ash Wednesday — and that triggered a false alarm this week at a Catholic church in Akron, Ohio.
Somebody called the fire departmnt when black smoke was seen billowing from the back of the St. Martha Church rectory.

When firefighters arrived, they found a priest tending a fire of palm fronds. He says his fire must have been smokier this year because it’s the first time the fire department has shown up.

Catholic Ragemonkey Fr. Hamilton seems to have had better luck.