Ash Wednesday: A Call to Return to God
By Rev Fr Felix Ovia Ekpe
Today, on Ash Wednesday, the Church begins the sacred season of Lent with a powerful call: “Return to the Lord with all your heart.” This day marks a solemn invitation to repentance, renewal, and reconciliation with God.
The practice of administering ashes has deep biblical roots. In ancient times, penitents covered themselves with ashes as an outward sign of sorrow for sin and true repentance. Ashes symbolized humility, mourning, and a sincere turning back to God. People would sit in sackcloth and ashes to show contrition and acknowledge their unworthiness before the Lord.
The ashes used on Ash Wednesday are traditionally obtained from the burning of palm branches blessed on the previous year’s Palm Sunday. These ashes are blessed and then placed on the forehead of the faithful in the shape of a cross. As this is done, the minister says:
“Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”
This reminds us of our human frailty and mortality. We come from the soil, and at the end of our earthly sojourn, we shall return to it. The ashes are therefore an external sign of repentance and a visible reminder that life is temporary, calling us to live wisely and faithfully.
Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the forty days of Lent, a season of preparation for Easter. The number 40 holds profound significance in Scripture. It represents a period of trial, purification, testing, and preparation.
The significance of 40 includes: The flood in the time of Noah lasted 40 days and 40 nights. Moses stayed on Mount Sinai for 40 days and 40 nights in the presence of God. The Israelites wandered in the wilderness for 40 years before entering the Promised Land. The prophet Elijah journeyed for 40 days and 40 nights to Mount Horeb. The people of Nineveh fasted in repentance at the preaching of Jonah. Most importantly, Jesus fasted for 40 days and 40 nights in the wilderness before beginning His public ministry.
Thus, the number 40 signifies a sacred period of preparation, testing, repentance, and transformation. Lent follows this biblical pattern. It is a time of renewal and reconciliation.
The readings of this season echo a consistent message, Return to me with all your heart.
God does not merely ask for outward signs, He desires a sincere conversion of heart. During this period of Lent, the Lord counsels us to return fully to Him.
In the second reading, St. Paul urges us to be reconciled with God and not to receive His grace in vain. He encourages us to observe Lent in a way that truly brings glory to God not merely outwardly, but from the heart.
Lent is traditionally marked by three spiritual pillars:
Prayer: Deepening our relationship with God and journeying with Jesus.
Fasting: Practicing self-denial and discipline.
Almsgiving: Showing charity and generosity to others.
Fasting is not for everyone. Those who are aged or ill and taking medication are exempted by the Church. But fasting goes beyond abstaining from food.
We are called to fast from, Gossip and destructive speech. Anger and bitterness. Pride and selfishness. Alcohol, cigarettes, and unhealthy habits. Stinginess and lack of charity.
Sometimes we destroy others with careless words, repeating stories as though we were present when they happened. Lent challenges us to abstain from such behavior. Fasting becomes meaningful when it transforms our hearts.
Lent is also a time to increase our generosity. Acts of charity do not need to be public. A priest once shared the story of a woman who quietly provided candles for the chapel without anyone knowing. Such hidden acts of love please God deeply. Jesus teaches us in the Gospel that when we fast, pray, or give alms, we should not do so to be seen by others. We do not put on gloomy faces to advertise our sacrifice. True Lenten discipline is done in humility, for God alone.
Lent is a period of self-sacrifice and self-denial, but it is also a journey towards joy. It prepares us for the resurrection. We are not restricted to doing good only during Lent; rather, Lent trains us to live faithfully throughout the year.
As we begin this sacred season, may our sacrifices lead to genuine renewal. May our prayer, fasting, and charity draw us closer to Christ. And may this Lenten journey fill our Christian lives with lasting joy.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen.