Why Christians wear ashes for Ash Wednesday and give up their favorite things for Lent (2024)

FAQs

Why Christians wear ashes for Ash Wednesday and give up their favorite things for Lent? ›

Christians commonly celebrate Ash Wednesday with ashes on their forehead and fasting to start the Lenten season, according to britannica.com. The practice reminds Christians of human mortality and the importance of reconciling with God.

Why do people give things up until Easter Sunday? Millions of people do this during Lent as a sign of sacrifice and to test their self-discipline. Christians believe that this is to represent Jesus Christ's sacrifice when he went into the desert to pray and fast for 40 days before later dying on the cross.

The first day of Lent is Ash Wednesday. On this special day of reflection, Catholics wear a marking of the cross in ash on their foreheads. The ashes symbolize our mortality – “Remember you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” But you might be wondering, where do the ashes for Ash Wednesday come from?

Christians from many denominations recognize the holy season for 40 days leading up to Easter. For centuries, Christians have received a sign of the cross with ashes on their forehead at the beginning of that season as a reminder of mortal failings and an invitation to receive God's forgiveness.

Catholics are not supposed to eat meat on Ash Wednesday, just as they aren't supposed to eat meat on Fridays during Lent. On Ash Wednesday, worshipers are also supposed to fast, allowing themselves to have one meal during the day. Children and elderly people are usually exempt from fasting and giving up meat.

The main purpose of “giving up” things in Lent is to bring us closer to God; to prioritize God; to put God in the center of our minds and lives; to make God the focal point. So if you're thinking about giving up chocolate — do it!

What does the Bible say about giving up something for Lent? It doesn't. Nowhere in Scripture can you find a command or even a clear reference to fasting or giving up certain habits in preparation for Easter.

While Ash Wednesday is not explicitly mentioned in the Bible, the phrase "ashes to ashes dust to dust" is commonly referenced on Ash Wednesday.

The liturgical use of ashes originated in the Old Testament times (Esther 4:1; Job 42:6; Daniel 9:3; Jonah 3:5‐6). Ashes symbolized mourning, mortality, and penance. The Old Testament examples give us evidence both a recognized practice of using ashes and a common understanding of their symbolism.

Ashes symbolize our sorrow for our sins and express our desire to change. They also remind us of our mortality, that we are but dust and one day we will return to that same dust from which we came.

What does the Bible say about putting ashes on your forehead? ›

The Biblical Response

Over forty passages in the Bible associate ashes with mourning and grief. In Old Testament times people used ashes as a sign of repentance. They would sit in ashes, roll around in them, sprinkle them upon their heads, or even mingle them with their food and drink.

There is no obligation to leave ashes on the forehead for a particular period of time. Some wipe them off right away, some leave them for the day. Certainly, every Catholic should wipe them away before Easter!

The Bible neither advocates nor condemns the act of cremation or keeping your loved one's cremated remains in your home. The closest thing to keeping cremains at home that the Bible mentions is the story of King Saul's men burning his son's bodies to cleanse them and respect their memories.

Ash Wednesday is observed by numerous denominations within Western Christianity. Latin Church Catholics observe it, along with certain Protestants like Lutherans, Anglicans, some Baptists, many Methodists (including Nazarenes and Wesleyans), the Evangelical Covenant Church, and some Mennonites.

The norms concerning abstinence from meat are binding upon members of the Latin Catholic Church from age 14 onwards. A summary of current practice: On Ash Wednesday, Good Friday, and all Fridays of Lent: Everyone of age 14 and up must abstain from consuming meat.

As the priest applies the ashes to a person's forehead, he speaks the words: “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” Alternatively, the priest may speak the words, “Repent and believe in the Gospel.” Ashes also symbolize grief, in this case, grief that we have sinned and caused division from God.

Those ages 18-59, in reasonable health, are required to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. Those 14 and older must abstain from meat on Fridays during Lent. Canon Law does mention that for young children not fasting, parents should still communicate the meaning and penance.

Thus, it is known in Eastern Orthodox circles as the season of "bright sadness" (Greek: χαρμολύπη, romanized: charmolypê). The purpose of Lent is the preparation of the believer for Easter through prayer, mortifying the flesh, repentance of sins, almsgiving, simple living, and self-denial.

Lent's three pillars are prayer, fasting and almsgiving–meaning that we're called to do more than just abstain from a particular food or activity.

Lent is not mentioned in the Bible, but rather started in the fourth century AD. Even though there is no explicit evidence of Lent in Scripture, many believers have tried to argue that Lent is based on Jesus' temptation in the desert for 40 days. The 40 days before Easter is a preparation time known as Lent.