Today is Ash Wednesday, on this day the burnt palms from the previous Palm Sunday, are imposed on the foreheads of the faithful as a sign of penance. Ash Wednesday begins the Liturgical Season of Lent, a time where the faithful are called to baptismal renewal and penance, and a time where the catechumens begin their final steps to full initiation into the Church. Ash Wednesday is a day of fast and abstinence when those who are able practice a penitential fast and meat is not eaten.

The ashes symbolize the transience of human things, and our need to look to the eternal things of heaven rather than the passing things of earth. When we receive ashes, we are showing our humility and acknowledging that we are no more than dust without the help of God. The tradition of using ashes to show penitence has survived since ancient Jewish times. As Christianity evolved, ashes maintained their significance and always served as a sign of humility and penance.

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