Ash Wednesday

This coming Wednesday (26 February) is Ash Wednesday, marking the beginning of the Lenten season.

What is Lent?

The season of Lent is a Catholic liturgical season consisting of forty days of fasting, prayer, and penitence beginning at Ash Wednesday and concluding on Holy Thursday. The official liturgical colour for the season of Lent is violet. This is why during Lent you might notice Father Son wearing purple vestments at Mass.

The observance of Lent is related to the celebration of Easter. In the first three centuries of the Christian era, most Christians prepared for Easter by fasting and praying for three days. In some places this was extended to the entire week before Easter (now known as “Holy Week”). 

The word derives from the word ‘lenten’, meaning springtime – the time of lengthening days. The season of Lent, like all Catholic liturgical seasons, developed over time. In the past, Lent was a period of intense spiritual and liturgical preparation for catechumens before they were baptised at Easter. Still today, adults wishing to become Catholics are prepared through the Rite of Christian Initiation (RCIA) program and are baptised, confirmed and receive first eucharist at the Easter vigil Mass. 

Over time, Lent has developed into its current length of forty days, the length of the fast and temptation of Jesus in the desert (Luke 4:1-13). 

Many Catholics were taught as children to “give up something” for Lent. Many Catholics now add actions during Lent rather than giving up something, either to address personal habits that need work or to add some outreach to others in need. At St. Michael’s, we encourage students to make a Lenten intention by either giving up something or, perhaps more importantly, to pledge to do something to help others.

On Ash Wednesday, ashes are created from the burned palms of the preceding year’s Palm Sunday which are blessed and combined with holy water. With these ashes, the priest marks a cross on the foreheads of worshipers, saying, ‘Turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel’. The ashes symbolise penance and contrition.