Ash Wednesday: Christians begin the Lenten journey toward Easter

“Lent is a time to prepare for Easter". “It’s a time of fasting and prayer to re-commit to our baptismal promises.”

Feb 14, 2018

Ash Wednesday begins our Lenten journey with Christ to the  cross.

Why ashes? The cross of ashes reminds us of the Baptismal  cross on our forehead. Ashes suggest cleansing and renewal. Ashes remind us of the shortness of human life. Most importantly,  ashes are a symbol of our need to repent, confess our sins, and re- turn to God.

Many church services are slated throughout the day on Wednesday as congregants enter into a time of atonement and self-denial during the 40-day Lenten season.

Lent culminates during Holy Week, which celebrates the death and resurrection of Jesus on Easter on April 1.

“Lent is a time to prepare for Easter". “It’s a time of fasting and prayer to re-commit to our baptismal promises.”

Many people will give up something during Lent such as candy, tobacco, alcohol or coffee as a way of sacrifice. A tradition in the Roman Catholic faith calls for people to abstain from eating meat on Fridays during Lent as a way of sacrifice.

In many church services, celebrants will dispense ashes on the foreheads of congregants, who will come to the altar and receive ashes from a minister, who will draw a cross on the person’s forehead and say, “You are dust, and to dust you shall return.”