LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Christians observed Ash Wednesday Wednesday, ushering in the 40-day season of Lent, when the faithful prepare for Easter by doing penance for sins and seeking spiritual renewal through prayer, discipline and good works.
Ash Wednesday gets its name from the practice of placing ashes on the foreheads of the faithful as a sign of penance. A minister or priest marks the forehead of each participant with black ashes in the shape of a cross.
In the Roman Catholic Church, individuals are told as the ashes are applied to their foreheads, “Turn from sin and live the Gospel.”
Catholics observe Ash Wednesday by fasting, abstaining from meat and repenting. Other Christian denominations make fasting optional, with the main focus being on repentance.
During an Ash Wednesday Mass Wednesday morning at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in downtown Los Angeles, Archbishop José H. Gomez urged the faithful to reflect on mortality and spiritual renewal as Lent begins.
“The ashes that we receive today are a sign of our mortality, a sign that we are but dust,” Gomez said during the homily. “We are put here on this earth for only a little while. We need to redeem the time, make the most of this gift of life.”
Masses will also be celebrated at 12:10 p.m. and 5:15 p.m. A Spanish- language Mass will be celebrated at 7 p.m.
The 12:10 p.m. bilingual Mass will be streamed on the cathedral’s YouTube page, youtube.com/olacathedral.
The Archdiocese has created a Lenten webpage with daily reflections, prayers and service resources, alongside the “Fast From // Feast On” campaign inviting the faithful to turn from distractions and grow in God’s mercy through weekly reflections, family activities and social media at @lacatholics or lacatholics.org/lent.
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