Lent begins with Ash Wednesday

It is called Ash Wednesday because we use ashes in liturgy that day. During the worship service we mark our foreheads with ashes in the sign of the cross. Ashes have typically been used as sign of repentance. The ashes also remind us of our mortality. The words spoken during the imposition of the ashes are “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” These words echo the Word of God to Adam and Eve after the fall. They remind us that life is short, and we are not guaranteed tomorrow. Therefore we should live our lives today and every day in light of eternity. We mark our foreheads with ashes in the sign of the cross to remember our baptism after which we are also marked with the sign of the cross. Marking the forehead with the sign of the cross reminds us that we belong to Him. This centers the focus our Lenten journey on the Lord Himself, who has marked us as His own. The Ash Wednesday Liturgy reminds us that if we bring the ashes of our life to the Lord, in faith, that He will bring us to new life.