Ash Wednesday marks the start of Lent's forty-day period as we recall how Jesus fasted and resisted temptation for forty days in the wilderness (Mk 1: 12-15). The day centers the heart of a Christian on prayer and repentance, usually through confession. Traditionally, the Lenten season is associated with giving up meat, fasting, introspection on the life of Christ, self-denial as a means of strengthening one's relationship with God, and, to the end, joyfully celebrating the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ (Lk 24: 6-7). But before Easter, we must acknowledge our brokenness and the necessity of conversion—a turning of our hearts toward God—to prepare our hearts for his Resurrection which is the Paschal Mystery.
The name "Ash Wednesday" is derived from the practice of applying ashes on the foreheads of the faithful in the shape of a cross. Usually, the palms that were blessed on Palm Sunday of the previous year are burned to produce the ashes. It is customary to make the Sign of the Cross with ashes on the forehead and accompanied by the words "Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return," (Gen 3: 19) emphasizing our mortality and the necessity of repentance to prepare our souls for eternal life. In a nutshell, this solemn day signifies humility, mortality, and the acknowledgment of human frailty.
By placing a cross of ashes on our foreheads, we are committing to observe Lent as a time of introspection, prayer, and self-dying. It also sums up the state of humanity, saying that we are sinners in need of atonement and that we are broken and in need of restoration. Above all, it instructs us on how to bear our daily crosses as disciples of Jesus Christ.
Ash Wednesday dates back to the 11th century. Yet, the tradition of receiving ashes has even earlier roots — in the ancient Hebrew custom of clothing oneself in sackcloth and dusting oneself with ashes as a sign of penance. A connection to the Old Testament can be found in Job 16:15, stating, "I have sewed sackcloth over my skin, thrown my forehead in the dust." And a reference is also found in the New Testament: Alas for you, Chorazin! Alas for you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes (Luke 10:13). The ashes represent the decay of human bodies: By the sweat of your face will you earn your food, until you return to the ground, as you were taken from it. For dust you are and to dust you shall return (Gen 3:19).
Lent is also a time when abstaining from some worldly pleasures to focus on to concentrate on the One who is essential. Giving up indulgences like overindulging in a delicious dinner might serve as a reminder to pursue a closer connection with God and discover true contentment in Him. On Ash Wednesday and all Lent Fridays, as well as on Good Friday, Catholics are forbidden from consuming any meat other than fish. All individuals between 18 and 59, excluding those who are ill, are only permitted to consume one complete meal per day and two smaller meals that do not combine into a full meal. Repentance through fasting enables us to embody our spiritual thirst for Christ. Pope Francis reminds us, “Fasting makes sense if it really chips away at our security and, as a consequence, benefits someone else…” We should abstain from watching television, playing video games, gossiping, and passing judgment on other people.
We can use Lent as an opportunity to strengthen our connection with God. We can start a devotional reading of the Bible or read the biography of that saint or other biblical works for which we haven't found the time previously. Different strategies include allocating time for prayer, making a weekly donation to the food bank and growing it, or helping others, particularly the sick and lonely. Alternatively, we could dedicate ourselves to attending daily Mass and indulging in some alone time in front of the Blessed Sacrament.
The ashes also represent grief—grief for our transgressions. Though we might not always be able to withstand temptation like Jesus, Lent offers us a chance to think back on our transgressions, pray, and confess our sins and seek forgiveness (remember the Prodigal Son, Lk 15: 11-32). We might utilize Lent as an opportunity to devote ourselves to the solace of God's forgiveness, the assurance of His love, and the fact that He is truly present in the Eucharist and church rather than overcrowding our hearts and lives with diversions. Church gives us three extraordinary ways to draw closer to God: prayer, fasting, and almsgiving to start your Lenten journey this Ash Wednesday. Try reading the Daily Gospel while in prayer. Let us experience joy and a fresh start and resolve to change our lives during the 40 days of Lent.
