Lent: A season of renewal, reflection and preparation REMEMBER YOU ARE DUST
“And unto dust you shall return.” – Genesis 3:19 (KJV)
Lent begins Feb. 18 • 40 days of prayer, fasting and almsgiving
The words spoken during the distribution of ashes on Ash Wednesday - “Remember you are dust, and unto dust you shall return,” drawn from the Book of Genesis set the tone for the season of Lent, a 40-day period of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving that leads Christians toward Easter. Often spoken as ashes are placed on the forehead, this reminder of humility and human frailty marks the beginning of a season rooted in repentance, reflection, and spiritual renewal.
Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, February 18, and continues until Holy Saturday, the day before Easter.
The word Lent comes from an Old English term meaning “spring,” a reminder that this sacred season leads the faithful toward Easter, which always falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon following the spring equinox. Father Taylor Reynolds of St. Joseph Catholic Church notes that Lent mirrors several biblical periods of preparation: Jesus’ 40 days in the desert, Noah’s 40 days of flood, and the Israelites’ 40 years of wandering. Each represents a journey of purification and trust.
Across Christian traditions, Lent is understood as a time to “cleanse our hearts of all the sin and excess that leads us away from God,” Reynolds explained.
The season is traditionally marked by prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, practices the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops identifies as central to preparing for the celebration of Christ’s Resurrection at Easter. Prayer deepens one’s relationship with God, fasting encourages spiritual focus and self-discipline, and almsgiving fosters generosity and solidarity with those in need.
Lent also carries a strong connection to baptism, one of the central themes of the season. Historically, the weeks leading up to Easter were a time when new believers prepared for baptism through instruction, prayer, and reflection. Easter remains the traditional day for baptisms, and the Church invites its members to pray for those entering the faith while also preparing to renew their own baptismal promises. This communal dimension reflects the early Christian understanding of Lent as both personal and shared – a time when the whole Church journeys together toward Easter.
Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of this journey. The ashes symbolize repentance and human frailty, echoing biblical traditions of mourning and renewal.
As Britannica notes, early Christians used ashes and sackcloth as outward signs of penance, a practice that evolved into the modern observance of Ash Wednesday and the Lenten fast.
Though practices vary among denominations, the heart of Lent remains the same: a call to return to God with sincerity, to reflect on one’s life, and to prepare for the joy of Easter.
As Father Taylor reminds the faithful each year, Lent carries both a distinctive and prayerful spirit and a clear direction toward repentance, renewal, and the hope of the Resurrection.
May this season lead all who observe it to deeper faith, renewed purpose, and the promise of Easter’s new life.
