Welcome to the Council of Trend Podcast, a production of Catholic Answers.

Hey everyone, welcome to the Council of Trend Podcast.

I'm your host, Cathering Answers Apologist and Speaker, Trent Horn.

And today it's Ash Wednesday.

Well, I'm not wearing ashes because this episode was recorded a few weeks ago.

But I do want to address a common claim that wearing ashes is unbiblical.

Some people will cite Matthew 6, 16 through 18 where Jesus says the following.

And when you fast, do not look dismal like the hypocrites.

For they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by men.

Truly, I say to you, they have their reward.

But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face that your fasting may not be seen

by men, but by your father who is in secret, and your father who sees in secret will reward

you.

I mean, we should wash our faces of ashes and of anything else that way we don't show

people were fasting.

Well, when you come across a passage in scripture that seems to teach that a Catholic doctrine

or practice is unbiblical, slow down, try to find as much context as possible behind the

passage.

And in reading a passage slowly, we can also ask questions and notice certain details

that change the context and how we understand the passage.

All right, so let's give it a try.

Jesus says, and when you fast, notice that Jesus does not say if you fast, Jesus expects

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