1. It’s not dirt, they’re ashes.
Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent for Christians. On this day, we wear ashes in the shape of a cross on our foreheads to remind ourselves that we are dust, and to dust we shall return. This practice reminds us not to worry too much about the material world, but instead to keep our faith in all things.
2. This isn’t a time of sacrifice, but rather healing.
One of the most common questions associated with Lent is, “What are you giving up this year?” Although it is a common practice to give up something for Lent, being self-sacrificial is not the purpose of the season. Lent is a time we focus on bettering ourselves so we make Lenten promises as a way to challenge ourselves.
3. Having to give up meat once a week is really hard for some of us.
The practice of abstaining from meat on Friday stems from the old tradition that meat was a celebratory food. Since we typically commemorate the death of Christ on Friday, we choose not to eat meat on these days either. We know that it can be annoying sometimes, but we appreciate when our friends accept that sometimes we gotta do what we gotta do.
4. Giving up something we love for 40 days can make us cranky.
We’re sorry.
5. We’re praying for you.
It may not mean much to you, but when we go to church, we pray for all our friends and family. Lent can be a difficult time for us because it’s a time that asks us to change for the better, and we appreciate the friends who are willing to walk with us along the way, no matter if they share the same faith as us or not. God already blessed our lives by making you our friends, and we ask that you are blessed the same way in yours.