What is Ash Wednesday?
Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent and is on 17th February this year.
On Ash Wednesday, ashes (made from the burnt palms from Palm Sunday the year before) are placed on our forehead in the sign of a cross. The priest says: “Remember that you are dust, and unto dust you shall return.” This quote from the book of Genesis reminds us that, just like Adam and Eve, we are all human and make mistakes – the cross on our forehead is therefore a sign of saying sorry for anything we have ever done wrong.
What is Lent?
Lent remembers a very important time – when Jesus went into the desert to fast and pray before beginning his work for God. Jesus was tempted several times by Satan, but was able to resist. Jesus spent 40 days and 40 nights in the desert, which is why Lent lasts for 40 days and 40 nights.
During Lent, we try to remember Jesus’s difficult time in the desert. To help us do this, we typically give things up that we love or go on things that will benefit other people as well as ourselves.
What should we do during Lent?
There are 3 main focuses during Lent:
- Prayer – we should try to pray everyday during Lent. This can help us to feel closer to God.
- Fasting – we normally don’t fast like people used to do in the past, but giving up something we love acts as our fasting.
- Almsgiving – Lent is an important time to try and help other people and giving to charity is good way to do this.
On Ash Wednesday, we should all decide what we are going to go off or go on for the duration of Lent.
This is called our ‘Lenten Promise.’
Try and link your Lenten Promise to:
Prayer (can you go on praying more everyday?);
Fasting (is there a certain food or drink you love and think you could give up for all of Lent?);
Almsgiving (what can you do to help other people during Lent?).
Check out this poster for some Lent activities and Bible verses to read together with your family: