Today, March 5, marks the start of Lent.
Ash Wednesday is the beginning of the 40-day period of fasting before Easter. The tradition points back to when Jesus Christ fasted for 40 days, as written in the book of Matthew in the Holy Bible.
Watch: Ash Wednesday services to take place today across southeast Wisconsin:
“To me, getting my ashes, is just showing the mark, my love for God,” said Catholic Believer Vincent Velasquez. “You know, my love for the Lord, and also asking God to forgive me for my sins.”
If you’re unfamiliar with Lent and you’ve always been curious about the ash cross marked on foreheads, it’s symbolic of the Bible verse Genesis 3:19. It reads “For you were made from dust, and to dust you shall return.”
“Ash Wednesday is a day for us to kind of be centering ourselves on God and to acknowledge our own mortality,” Father Edward Sanchez, Parish Administrator, St. Augustine. “Life is short, and that it's important to focus on what matters the most, and that fundamentally, what matters most is our relationship with God and with each other.”
Those observing Lent typically give something up for 40 days and some may choose to begin doing certain things better, rather that be volunteering, praying more or eating healthier.
“You usually like sacrifice things in different ways,” said Sanchez. “When you give up desserts or alcohol or things like that, some people take cold showers, you know, every day. So it's like a time of maybe detaching yourself from some of the things that your heart has got attached to, other than God, refocusing on what matters.”
As part of fasting through Lent, catholics will not eat meat on Ash Wednesday, Good Friday, and all the Fridays throughout Lent, which is why we’ll also see a lot of fish fry dinners this time of year.
Roman Catholics between the ages of 18 and 59 are obliged to fast, but you do not need to be catholic to receive ashes. Clergy all over the world place ashes on people’s foreheads and remind those receiving them of the Genesis Bible verse.
Here is a list of services offered by the campus ministry on Marquette University:
- 7:30 a.m. — Mass in Chapel of the Holy Family
- Noon — Mass in Chapel of the Holy Family
- 4 p.m. — Ecumenical prayer service in Chapel of the Holy Family
- 7 p.m. — Mass in Chapel of the Holy Family
- 5 p.m. — Misa en Español at the St. Joan of Arc Chapel
- 10 p.m. — Mass in St. Joan of Arc Chapel
In addition, the church of the Gesu is offering Mass with the distribution of ashes at 7 a.m, 10 a.m., 12:05 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.
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