Lent begins with a reminder of our mortality. The Ash Wednesday custom is to use ashes to mark the forehead with the sign of the Cross.

Lent begins with a reminder of our mortality. The Ash Wednesday custom is to use ashes to mark the forehead with the sign of the Cross. As the ashes are daubed, the priest says: “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you will return.” That sombre note stays with us for the season of Lent, as we strip away illusions of power and control and face the reality that we are mortal, dependent and ephemeral. The season is one for serious reflection on ourselves, our lives, our priorities. But it is not the purpose of Lent to plunge us all into gloom and depression, but rather to allow a new light into our self-reflection during its 40 days …

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