What is Ash Wednesday
The term Lent comes from the English word Lenten which in turn comes from the English word lengthen, referring to the season of the lengthening of the days. Ash Wednesday is the first day in the Lenten season that precedes Easter, and has traditionally been a day of repentance, of remorse for sin symbolized by the imposition of ashes, but in that imposition is the sign of hope, for the ashes are imposed in the sign of the cross—the means by which our sins were atoned for.
We are reminded that we as sinners are but dust and ashes.
Then Abraham spoke up again: "Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, though I am nothing but dust and ashes [Gen. 18:27]
Spiritual practice of applying ashes as sign of repentence goes back thousands of years; leaving sin behined to turn over a new leaf.
-Job said “I disown what I have said, and repent in dust and ashes.” (Job 42:6)
-Daniel said “turned to the Lord God, pleading in earnest prayer, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.” (Dan 9:3)
-O my people, put on sackcloth and roll in ashes; mourn with bitter wailing as for an only son, for suddenly the destroyer will come upon us. (Jer 6:26)
With Ash Wednesday the period of Lent begins, a season set aside for us to do penance, to connect our faith our life soul and body. To turn a new leaf, and we do small acts of penance/charity (fasting, giving alms, prayer) as a way of reparation for our wrong doing.
...adapted from various...