Is there any special grace or protection attached to the ashes on Ash Wednesday?
The ashes are a grim reminder of our bodily mortality. “Dust thou art and unto dust thou shalt return.”Lent challenges us to reflect on where our life is heading. Taking ashes on the forehead is a sign that one is going to do something special for Lent: maybe self-denial, daily Mass, more time for prayer, less television, a contribution to the poor, or doing more at home. As the ashes are blessed, we pray for the strengthening of those who receive them.
