Ash Wednesday is an essential part of Christianity, as many people are taught to give up a desire and better their connection with God for Lent. (Freepik)
As we enter March, the season of Lent begins. It’s a good time to connect with God and start a day of deep reflection, new beginnings, and love.
It marks the start of a journey of 40 days, where we walk along with Jesus and God through good and bad temptations to a road of ultimate love, prayer and care. We are reminded of our humble beginnings and our eternal hope: “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”
Ash Wednesday brings a whole 40 days of Lent (excluding Sundays) to fast which might involve giving up sweets, caffeine, or social media. People are also expected to practice prayer and celebrate almsgiving, which includes acts of charity and kindness. Many choose to donate money or volunteer as an extra act of compassion and kindness. By fasting, we offer ourselves to God and open up to the presence of God. The act of kindness you spread to people, big or small, matters, and marks the beginning of a delicate thread in the tapestry of our Lenten journey, woven with faith and devotion. Even in your imperfections, God’s love will not falter.
The purpose of these practices is not mere ritual but transformation. Lent invites believers to re-evaluate their priorities, let go of what weighs them down, and embrace the call to live with faith and purpose. It is not about deprivation, but about making room for what truly matters. To embrace lent in everyday life, one might include a daily prayer and reflection into one’s life. So, set aside a few minutes for God and read a daily Bible verse, pray, journal your thoughts and prayers, or all of the above. There’s no limitation.
You could even fast with an intention to focus on yourself, your physical health, and gratitude. Seeking reconciliation is often what many tend to go to as well to mend a relationship or seek closure to embrace peace and forgive past hurts. It is a wonderful opportunity to extend grace to others and heal emotional wounds.
Families often disconnect to reconnect. It forces you to disconnect from social media to help you reconnect with nature or loved ones. Ash Wednesday and Lent are not about perfection, but about growth. This season is a journey of becoming—of shedding old habits, rediscovering faith, and embracing the transformative power of God’s love. It is a time to slow down, reflect, and prepare our hearts for the joy of Easter. Things may be difficult but Lent is also a time to get extra strength from God, someone to lean on and walk with while he holds your hand and guides you to a better path and a better you. And if we stumble along the way, we can rest in the assurance that God’s grace is abundant, always inviting us back into His embrace.
Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent, kicking off the 40 day spiritual prep up until Easter for a full spiritual connection and reset. It’s about rediscovering what truly matters to you, things you miss, want to reconnect with, or grow on.
You can deepen and reopen that connection with God, a connection you might have been missing; recall the love and compassion. Lent is the time to go to mass and prayer with your family. As Lent unfolds, remember God’s love is smudge proof and consistent, it will always be there. So grab your blanket, light a candle and step into the season with gratitude, humility, and grace because faith is like a pretty sunrise full of spirit, new beginnings, and endless beauty.