Happy Fasting Day

It is time for me to start fasting and be more committed in daily prayers as today is Ash Wednesday.
The 40 days of Lent calling for acts of self-denial, soul searching, continuing faith in the gospel and Christian repentance begin today, Ash Wednesday, a day of fast and abstinence for Roman Catholics before Easter Sunday.
Since all of us are weighed down by sin, fasting is proposed to us as an instrument to restore friendship and to walk closer with God.
I as a Roman Catholic observe this Holy Ash Wednesday and will have my forehead crossed with ashes from burnt palm fronds from last year’s Palm Sunday when parish priests will remind the congregation of their mortality by quoting the Bible, "from dust thou art, to dust thou shalt return."
As the parish priest imposed the ashes on our foreheads, he will remind us "to turn away from sin and to be faithful to the gospel."
Beginning today, Christians are called upon to dwell on the penitential season of Lent, a fitting time to return to God by way of repentance, penance, and sacrifice in asking for forgiveness from the Lord.

A Prayer for Ash Wednesday

Blessed are you, O Lord our God, the all-holy one, who gives us life and all things. As we go about our lives, the press of our duties and activities often leads us to forget your presence and your love. We fall into sin and fail to live out the responsibilities that you have entrusted to those who were baptized into your Son.

In this holy season, help us to turn our minds and hearts back to you. Lead us into sincere repentance and renew our lives with your grace. Help us to remember that we are sinners, but even more, help us to remember your loving mercy.

As we live through this Ash Wednesday, may the crosses of ashes that mark our foreheads be a reminder to us and to those we meet that we belong to your Son. May our worship and prayer and penitence this day be sustained throughout these 40 days of Lent. Bring us refreshed and renewed to the celebration of Christ’s resurrection at Easter.

We ask this through your Son, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit for ever and ever. Amen.