Though the Bible does not mention Ash Wednesday or the custom of Lent, however, the practice of repentance and mourning in ashes is found in 2 Samuel 13:19; Esther 4:1; Job 2:8; Daniel 9:3; and Matthew 11:21. It was the Jewish custom...besides that of other Cultures, that as a sign of repentance, sorrowing, being in mourning, they used to wear sackcloths and cover themselves all over with ashes.
From that custom the Church kept the use of ASHES as a symbol of Penance and Repentance on the First day of Lent, for that reason it is called ASH WEDNESDAY...this is ONLY a rite, but we have to translate the symbol of Ashes to FACTS...for this reason we fast and abstain from eating meat on this patricular Wednesday.
Now, as things are...nowadays we do eat meat all year round, so we might not feel it as a sacrifice not having meat ...for me it's a sacrifice EATING meat. In similar cases we should feel that we have to offer up things which we normally enjoy having; like watching certain favourite TV programmes, abstain from having sweet goodies and chocolates, from drinking wine...and the rest. All this to make us well prepared to remember what Christ has gone through to redeem us. God bless.
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