Why Ash Wednesday?

The ashes of Ash Wednesday remind us of our mortality. God created humankind from the dust of the earth, and it is to dust that we shall all return. “Remember you are dust, and to dust you shall return” we are told. Our time on this earth is short – are we living the life to which God has called us? Are we prepared to give an account for how we have spent our days?

Ash Wednesday isn’t a cheerful celebration, it is a solemn observance, and one of the most treasured in the liturgical year. We live in a world that is filled with news that sometimes is sad and scary, the practice of receiving ashes is a reminder of the power of the cross, acknowledging that although we were once dead in our sins, we have been redeemed by the cross of Christ. On Ash Wednesday, we are marked with the cross of Christ. Let us pray that God will use the ashes of our past to create in us clean hearts and new lives in Him.

See you in church!