Christians all over the world will observe Ash Wednesday February 17, traditionally 47 days before Easter Sunday.
The tradition marks the official start of Lent, the 40 days Christians fast and abstain or do other penance and have repentance before Easter, the Resurrection of Christ from the dead. Sundays are not considered days of Lent.
Why Ash Wednesday?
Why ashes?
Why Lent and why 40 days?
How long has it been practiced?
The practice of repentance, or sorrow for wrong doing, dates back to Biblical times with its connection with ashes a reminder that humanity is temporary and life on earth comes to an end. While the body returns to ashes and the earth, the soul remains alive in heaven and repentance for wrongdoing is necessary to gain heaven.
That ashes and repentance for wrongdoing to God in the 21st century dates back to Biblical times when repentance and ashes are cited several times by different evangelists.
Matthew wrote that man should “Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand,” and suggests it is a time to be set aside to make us each a better version of ourselves.’
In Job 42, he mentions “I repent what I have said and repent in dust and ashes.” Jeremiah referred to “Daughter, roll in the ashes” for wrongdoing, and Daniel is saying “I turned to the Lord God to seek an answer by prayer and supplication to seek help with fasting and sackcloth and ashes .”
In Biblical times, wearing ashes was a common sign of repentance for sins and a sign of one’s humility before God. Since Lent is a season of penance, through prayer, fasting and helping others, having ashes on the first day of the 40-day penitential period puts an ancient sign on the beginning of a specific season.
In the Catholic Church, and many others, the ashes used on Ash Wednesday are the ashes from the previous Palm Sunday, the Sunday before Easter of the previous year, the time that marked Jesus’ triumphant entrance into the city the week before He was crucified.
The number 40 has ecclesial significance: The rain fell for 40 days and 40 nights when Noah had his Ark; Moses spent 40 days on Mount Sinai before receiving the Ten Commandments; Jesus spent 40 days in prayer and fasting prior to beginning his ministry so, we spend 40 days preparing for the Resurrection on Easter Sunday.
Ashes are not a sacrament in the church, but rather a sacramental, an outward sacred sign which bears a resemblance, but is not, a sacrament. A sacramental signifies effects, particularly of a spiritual nature, obtained through the intercession of the Church. Ashes are also an outward sign of a person’s belief in Christ, and all are welcomed to receive ashes on Ash Wednesday.
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Ash Wednesday
