Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, a season of reflection, repentance, and renewal in the life of the Church. As we receive the sign of the cross in ash upon our foreheads, we are reminded of two profound truths: “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return,” and yet also that we are marked with the cross of Christ. We are both fragile and deeply loved.

In the Church of England, Ash Wednesday invites us into a holy honesty. We acknowledge our sins, our failings, and the ways we have turned from God’s love. But this is not a day of despair. It is a day of grace. The ashes are traced in the shape of the cross — the very sign of hope and redemption. Even in our mortality, even in our brokenness, we belong to Christ.

Lent stretches before us as a journey: forty days to pray more deeply, to examine our hearts, to fast from what distracts us, and to give generously in response to God’s mercy. It is a time to return — not only from wrongdoing, but from weariness, distraction, and self-reliance — back to the steady, forgiving love of God.

As we begin this season, may we walk it thoughtfully and faithfully. May our repentance be sincere, our prayers honest, and our hope steadfast. And may the God who formed us from dust breathe new life into us again.