The time has now come in the Church year for the solemn observance of the great central act of history, the redemption of the human race by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. In the Roman Rite, the beginning of the forty days of penance is marked with the austere symbol of ashes which is used in today's liturgy. The use of ashes is a survival from an ancient rite according to which converted sinners submitted themselves to canonical penance. The Alleluia and the Gloria are suppressed until Easter.

Abstinence from eating meat is to be observed on all Fridays during Lent. This applies to all persons 14 and older. The law of fasting on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday applies to all Catholics from age 18 through age 59.

Ash Wednesday
At the beginning of Lent, on Ash Wednesday, ashes are blessed during Mass, after the homily. The blessed ashes are then "imposed" on the faithful as a sign of conversion, penance, fasting and human mortality. The ashes are blessed at least during the first Mass of the day, but they may also be imposed during all the Masses of the day, after the homily, and even outside the time of Mass to meet the needs of the faithful. Priests or deacons normally impart this sacramental, but instituted acolytes, other extraordinary ministers or designated lay people may be delegated to impart ashes, if the bishop judges that this is necessary. The ashes are made from the palms used at the previous Passion Sunday ceremonies.
— Ceremonies of the Liturgical Year, Msgr. Peter J. Elliott

The act of putting on ashes symbolizes fragility and mortality, and the need to be redeemed by the mercy of God. Far from being a merely external act, the Church has retained the use of ashes to symbolize that attitude of internal penance to which all the baptized are called during Lent. — Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy

From the very early times the commemoration of the approach of Christ's passion and death was observed by a period of self-denial. St. Athanasius in the year 339 enjoined upon the people of Alexandria the 40 days' fast he saw practiced in Rome and elsewhere, "to the end that while all the world is fasting, we who are in Egypt should not become a laughing stock as the only people who do not fast but take our pleasure in those days." On Ash Wednesday in the early days, the Pope went barefoot to St. Sabina's in Rome "to begin with holy fasts the exercises of Christian warfare, that as we do battle with the spirits of evil, we may be protected by the help of self-denial."

— Daily Missal of the Mystical Body
Things to Do:

Go with your family to receive ashes at Mass today. Leave them on your forehead as a witness to your faith. Here is a Lenten reflection on the meaning of the ashes on Ash Wednesday. If you have children, you may want to share this with them in terms that they can understand.

Today parents should encourage their children to reflect upon what regular penances they will perform throughout this season of Lent. Ideally, each member of the family should choose his own personal penance as well as some good act that he will perform (daily spiritual reading, daily Mass, extra prayers, almsgiving, volunteer work, housecleaning, etc.), and the whole family may wish to give up one thing together (TV, movies, desserts) or do something extra (family rosary, Holy Hour, Lenten Alms Jar).

The use of Sacrifice Beans may help children to keep track of their Lenten penances. Some families begin this activity (with undyed beans!) on Ash Wednesday and then use the collected beans to cook a penitential bean dish for Good Friday at the end of Lent.

http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2015-02-18

Thank you Lord for yet another opportunity to witness this year's lent.
The period of lent comes with sober reflection of creation and death, ashes to ashes, dust to dust
If only we can reflect on the lessons of lent as Nigerians irrespective of our political or religious affiliation, the ills plaguing our country will heal.
As we begin this year's lent, let's practice more alms giving, avoid life of extreme luxury, engage more in corporal works of mercy and open our hearts to see the good in others.

God bless us all

Thank God for another lent.

Back from Mass....May the Lord strengthen us through the journey.

Practical Lesson and what Man is

One day in PHC along Aba Rd near the mile 1 flyover, there was an exchange of words btw a man driving a Jeep and a 'kabu-kabu" driver. It seemed the car driver hit the Jeep and the Jeep owner was screaming; what he can do, etc.

He kept on asking the subdued car driver and all who cared to listen if they know who he is - 'do you know who i am?"

Then a woman driving by stopped as the event has caused a traffic scene with attendant chaos. she heard what the man said, bent down and scooped some sand from the road by the kerb and showed the man boasting saying" this is what you are.

The angry man looked at the woman, the sand/ dust in her hands, closed his mouth, entered his jeep and rove off

Even if for most part of the year we chose to forget that we are dust, the Church in Her wisdom has set the season of lent apart for us to compulsorily remember what we are

May the Blessed Virgin Mary continue to intercede for us

Man is dust and dust man shall return!

We pray for a great lent.

God bless the one holy catholic and apostolic church.

jnrbayano:
Man is dust and dust man shall return!

We pray for a great lent.

God bless the one holy catholic and apostolic church.

U can say that again bro !

For me there's no compromise in my beliefs .

I carry my ash for head enter office with so much pride in a muslim dominated office .

Them just dey look me like mumu.

Tranglatar:
Practical Lesson and what Man is

One day in PHC along Aba Rd near the mile 1 flyover, there was an exchange of words btw a man driving a Jeep and a 'kabu-kabu" driver. It seemed the car driver hit the Jeep and the Jeep owner was screaming; what he can do, etc.

He kept on asking the subdued car driver and all who cared to listen if they know who he is - 'do you know who i am?"

Then a woman driving by stopped as the event has caused a traffic scene with attendant chaos. she heard what the man said, bent down and scooped some sand from the road by the kerb and showed the man boasting saying" this is what you are.

The angry man looked at the woman, the sand/ dust in her hands, closed his mouth, entered his jeep and rove off

Even if for most part of the year we chose to forget that we are dust, the Church in Her wisdom has set the season of lent apart for us to compulsorily remember what we are

May the Blessed Virgin Mary continue to intercede for us

Very Practical lady she was. Swift and penetrating lecture she gave. Thanks for sharing.

jnrbayano:
Man is dust and dust man shall return!

We pray for a great lent.

God bless the one holy catholic and apostolic church.

Amen