​
Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the Lenten season, a prelude to Easter and Christ's resurrection. On Ash Wednesday, the foreheads of Christians throughout the world are marked with an ash cross. The ashes are derived from the burnt palms from the previous year's Palm Sunday. Lent is a time of repentance marked by sacrifice, prayer, and good works. It is a time reminiscent of the 40 days and 40 nights Christ spent in the desert. It is a time of renewal as we ask God for forgiveness for our sins.
St. John Paul II saw Lent as "an opportunity to empty ourselves in Christian charity, doing good to the most vulnerable of society". How are you preparing for Lent and Easter?
