Today, we step into the season of Lent. After the joy and feasting of Shrove Tuesday, the tone shifts. The beads are put away, the pancakes are eaten, and now we enter the quiet, solemn days of preparation.
Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.
These words, spoken as ashes are placed on our foreheads, remind us of our mortality. They remind us that we are fragile, that we are in need of a Savior, and that our time on this earth is fleeting. Ash Wednesday is a call to repentance, a call to reorient our hearts toward Christ as we begin this forty-day journey to Easter.
Why Ashes?
The use of ashes in Scripture is a sign of mourning, repentance, and humility. Throughout the Bible, we see God’s people covering themselves in ashes when they grieve or turn back to Him. Job sat in ashes (Job 42:6), Daniel fasted in sackcloth and ashes (Daniel 9:3), and the people of Nineveh repented in ashes when Jonah preached to them (Jonah 3:6).
In the early Church, ashes were placed on the heads of public penitents, those who had committed serious sins and were preparing to be reconciled to the Church at Easter. Over time, this practice expanded to include all believers, a reminder that we are all in need of God’s mercy.
A Day of Fasting & Repentance
Ash Wednesday is one of the two fast days of the Church year (the other being Good Friday). It is a day of fasting and abstinence, a tangible way to mark the beginning of Lent. We deny ourselves, not as an empty ritual, but as a way of training our hearts to hunger for Christ.
If you are fasting today, let it be a fast filled with prayer. As you feel the pangs of hunger, turn your heart toward God. Offer your discomfort to Him. Let it remind you of your need for Him.
How to Observe Ash Wednesday at Home
Attend the Ash Wednesday service at your church.
If you have children, talk to them about the meaning of the ashes. Explain that they remind us of our need for Jesus and call us to repentance.
Begin your Lenten fast. Step into this season with intention by committing to your personal or family fast.
Make pretzels! This ancient Christian food was created by monks to align with Lenten fasting. Made with just water, flour, and salt, its distinctive twisted shape represents arms crossed in prayer—perfect for this penitential season.
Cover all of the icons and crosses in your home with purple cloth.
Make an alms box and begin collecting your alms for the poor. A traditional sign to go on the container is, “The fasts of the rich are the feasts of the poor.” Place the container in a prominent place where everyone will be reminded of it every day. (Family Alms Jar Tutorial)
Since we will no longer say the word Alleluia throughout Lent, say goodbye to the Alleluias by having your children write Alleluia on a board, decorate it with flowers, and put it away in a chest, drawer, or closet until Easter Day.
Start your spring cleaning!
The Invitation of Ash Wednesday
Lent is a gift. It is a season that calls us back to God. A time to strip away distractions, repent of our sins, and make room for Christ in our hearts.
So today, let’s step into the desert with Jesus. Let’s allow this season to shape us, refine us, and draw us closer to the One who walked this road before us.
Blessed Lent, dear friends! Let us walk this journey together.
P.S. - If you’d like to know more about Lent, including the meaning, history, recipes, and traditions behind it all, then you’ll love my guidebook, The Liturgical Home: Lent. It gives you everything you need to celebrate Lent in your Home!
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