What Is Ash Wednesday Anyway?

Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent. On this special day of reflection, many Christians wear a marking of the cross in ash on their foreheads. The ashes symbolize our mortality. “Remember you are dust and to dust you shall return.”

Ash Wednesday begins the remembrance of the 40 days of fasting and temptation that Jesus went through after his baptism by John the Baptist. As Jesus grew hungry from fasting in the desert, he was faced with three different temptations. Satan himself brought these temptations to Jesus. Our Lord resisted all three by remembering that it is only right to give worship to God. This victory gives us hope to resist Satan in our own lives. 

Along with reminding us of our mortality, the ashes are a symbol of grief for the sins we have committed. Lent provides us with an opportunity to reflect, pray, and repent of our sins. So, Ash Wednesday is the start of a time to commit to life changes, to cleanse our souls, and renew our faith as we prepare to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ on Easter Sunday.

....Roger Bennett