Today is Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of the Season of Lent. For Catholics like myself, Lent is a time of penance, reflection and fasting in preparation for Christ’s resurrection on Easter Sunday, which is only attained through redemption. Our foreheads will be marked with ashes in the sign of a cross to humble our hearts and remind us that life on Earth passes away. In Genesis 3:19, just after Eve has consumed the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden, God says to Adam:

“By the sweat of your face shall you get bread to eat, Until you return to the ground, from which you were taken; For you are dirt, and to dirt you shall return.”

The ashes we receive are made from the burning of the blessed palms used in the Palm Sunday celebration of the previous year. Ash Wednesday is a day of fasting, abstinence (from meat), and repentance. Catholics between the age of 18 and 59 are allowed only one full meal, which may be supplemented by two smaller meals that must not equal the amount of the full meal when combined. However, this is the bare minimum requirement and traditionally Catholics will perform a complete fast or a bread and water fast. Similar fasting is also required on Good Friday, and abstinence from meat is mandatory on all Fridays of Lent.

The Lent Season lasts 40 days from Ash Wednesday until Holy Saturday, Sundays do not count as days as they are reserved for the joyful celebration of the Resurrection. The 40 days symbolize the time that Jesus spent retreated in the wilderness, overcoming temptation and preparing for His ministry.

There are numerous Holy Days during Lent:

• Ash Wednesday - the first day of Lent
• Palm Sunday - the last Sunday of Lent, marks the beginning of Holy Week
• Spy Wednesday - the Wednesday during Holy Week, signifies the time Judas spent spying on Jesus before betraying him
• Maundy Thursday - the Thursday during Holy Week, commemorates the Last Supper
• Good Friday - the Friday during Holy Week, remembers Jesus’ crucifixion and burial

As Lent is a time to repent, Catholics generally are called to sacrifice something during this period. But it goes beyond this, it is more than just behaving in a certain manner for 40 days. Lent is about conversion and aligning our lives more closely to Jesus and His way of life. This means giving up sin in some form, and not just to abstain from sin during this period, but to reflect on it and root it out of our lives forever.

My Lenten promise this year is to give up sweets and soda, which can lead to gluttony, one of the seven deadly sins. Also, I will be making a more concerted effort to not argue with friends and family, and to be a more loving, kinder person to all. Jesus said “love your enemies, for even sinners love those who love them,” and I think if we all pondered these words and took them to heart the world would be a much happier and peaceful place.

In addition to my sacrifices I will also be undertaking additional things which require a stronger devotion to God and His only Son Jesus Christ, but those are more of a personal nature and I don’t care to write about them on here. Also, I will make a trip confession during Lent, which I think all Catholics should do during this time of year.

For more information, you can read about Ash Wednesday and Lent on Wikipedia. Also, you read the entire text of Pope Benedict XVI’s message for Lent 2007.