Seasons: Ashes and Lent

It’s that time of year in the rhythm and ritual of the Christian Calander– 40-days; not counting Sunday’s – in which we prepare our hearts and minds for a season of introspection and remembrance. The time when we feast on King’s Cake and pancakes, plan for fish on Friday’s, and mark our days with considerations of giving up and taking up. I personally look forward to the celebrations leading up to the beginning of the season of Lent, the solemn service of Ash Wednesday, and tuna sub’s every Friday from a local pizza-sub-salad place down the street from my house. I enjoy finding a Lenten daily devotional that both challenges and inspires me. I truly find this to be the most impactful season of the year for both my faith and my personal growth.

Seasons shape our lives. They remind us of the passage of time, the rhythm of change, and the invitation to reflect. In the Church, the season of Lent stands as a sacred pause—a time to journey inward, confront our mortality, and embrace the call to renewal.

Lent begins with ashes. This Wednesday, on Ash Wednesday, we receive the sign of the cross in dust and hear the sobering words: Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return (I add: Go and serve our God). These ashes, a symbol of both mortality and repentance, connect us to the ancient practice of lament and longing. They remind us that life is fragile, fleeting, and yet deeply meaningful.

In many ways, Lent mirrors the changing seasons in nature. Just as winter strips the trees bare, Lent calls us to let go—of distractions, of excess, of anything that keeps us from drawing closer to God. It is a season of pruning, of surrender, and of making space for something new to take root.

Know this, Lent is not just about loss; it is about contemplation and transformation. It is about preparing the soil of our souls for resurrection and ascension. Through prayer, fasting, and acts of service, we cultivate a spirit of renewal. We step into the wilderness, trusting that even in barren places, God is at work.

As we journey through Lent, we may find ourselves carrying burdens—grief, doubt, weariness, unhelpful habits. The beauty of this season is that it does not ask us to ignore these struggles but to bring them before God, to name them, and to trust that healing is possible. The ashes we wear are not just a sign of death; they are a promise that even dust can be redeemed.

Spring follows winter. Easter follows Lent. Hope rises from the ashes. This is the rhythm of the Gospel—the promise that life is always being made new.

So, in this season of ashes and Lent, may we embrace the invitation to pause, to reflect, and to prepare our hearts for the resurrection yet to come.

Blessings on the journey –