ASH WEDNESDAY
ASH WEDNESDAY is the first day of the season of Lent. On this Ash Wednesday, we begin a journey across 40 days towards Holy Week.
where Christ would die for mankind. It is a day of Fasting and Abstinence for us; it is a day that all Catholics are required to abstain and fast, meaning Abstinence from meat and fast from heavy meals.
It is 40 days of Reflection. This ashes symbolizes repentance and a reminder that life is temporary. When a priest signs ashes on the forehead as we would see at the Holy Mass today, he says, “remember that you are dust and to dust shall return.” It is a moment of prayer and preparation for the joy of Easter.
THREE THINGS ARE IMPORTANT DURING LENTEN SEASON
- We all are meant to have a penitential and humble spirit. By this act, we are actually opening our heart to receive God’s mercy and attracting God’s mercy to our lives as well.
2. Prayer is vital. Peraphs, we have not been praying as much as we should but now it is time to double down on that and recommit ourselves to prayer. Lent is a period of intense prayer and sacrifices.
3. The beautiful blessing over the Ashes meant to tell us that we are to practice our lenten disciplines in other to prepare ourselves to worthily receive Jesus and enter into the Paschal mystery. In other words, it leads us to Easter.
