Today is Ash Wednesday and the first day of the Lenten season. On this day many ceremonies conduct the implication of ashes on the foreheads of members and those attending the ash services. Ashes were used in ancient times to express grief. The gesture was also used to express sorrow for sins and faults. Christians continued the practice of using ashes as an external sign of repentance.
Lent is a 40-day religious observance in the liturgical calendar of many Christian denominations that is a time of spiritual preparation through fasting, praying, repenting, atonement, self-denial and giving. According to the Gospels in the New Testament of the Holy Bible, Jesus spent 40 days before beginning his public ministry. The number 40 has many significant Biblical commemorations (the number of days Moses spent on Mt. Sinai with God, the number of days and nights of the great flood, the number of years the Hebrew people wandered in the desert and several other occasions.)
Many people will personally commemorate Lent by fasting, praying and giving in their spiritually unique way. Pray to God for guidance and focus on Reflection-Repentance-Renewal.
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