Every single year, Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and this year, started today, Wednesday Feb. 18.
Ash Wednesday is the first step of preparation for the 40 days of lent, a process on which people fast, abstain and promise themselves to do a good deed the next 40 days, in preparation for Jesus’ resurrection on Easter Sunday.
Here are a few facts on Ash Wednesday, for a better understanding and how to participate in the process.
1. Fasting
Today on Ash Wednesday, believers fast and abstain from eating meat. Fasting can mean either skip a big breakfast or a big meal or simply skipping any food at all (absolute fasting). Fasting should only be done on Ash Wednesday and every Friday for 40 days until Easter. The believer has to abstain too from consuming any red meat (pork, cow, sheep meat),on the days already mentioned.
2. Mass to receive the ashes
Throughout the whole Ash Wednesday, masses are offered for those who are willing to receive the ashes and begin the process of lent.
The ash is obtained by burning previous year’s Palm Sunday, the sunday before Easter that symbolizes Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem.
In the ceremony, a priest draws a cross on your forehead with the ashes and says: “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” this is a passage from Genesis 3:19 in the Bible.
3. Give up something for Lent
During the 40 days of Lent, believers as a form of penitence, give up on certain types of luxuries or fast. This symbolizes solidarity with Jesus during the time he spent 40 days and 40 nights in the dessert being tempted by the devil.
The most common thing people give up is food. It could be any junk food or luxury food that might be consumed in excess. Other give up smoking and/or alcohol.
For any of these, believers have to be prepared, be strong and have will power to complete the ritual; this process is meant to be done introspectively as mentioned in the Bible: ““When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen” (Matthew 6:16-18).
4. This is not just a Catholic experience
The tradition started in Western Europe and is predominant in the Catholic church but Western Orthodox Churches and some Protestant denominations, including Lutherans, Methodists, Presbyterians and Anglicans also celebrate and participate in the infusion of the ashes.
