(Ash Wednesday) Luke 18:13 But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even look up to heaven, but was beating his breast and saying: ...

... “God, be merciful to me, a sinner.”

It was an ancient custom for a notorious sinner to cover himself or herself with ashes as a sign for all to see that they were sorry. They had repented. Somewhere along the line, the Christian community came to understand that all have sinned, and that all are in need of repentance. So, we all come forward to wear ashes in the shape of a small cross on our forehead. We are sorry. Thank God for the life-giving sign of the cross.