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On one bright sunny Wednesday morning 

James and his family were going to church. 

James thought this was very strange because 

normally they went to church on Sunday not 

Wednesday.  

When James and his family were in the car on the 

way to church, James mum had said “It is a special 

day today, its Ash Wednesday”. James and his sister 

Ashley looked at each other very confused. 

James asked his mum “Why is Wednesday special?”  

“Why is it called Ash Wednesday?” James’s mum 

replied “Ash Wednesday is the beginning of the Lent 

season.   Ash Wednesday is the day when blessed 

ashes are placed on our foreheads.”

James said smartly “Why would I want Ashes rubbed 

on my head?” “Do I look like a fire place?” 

James’s mum replied “No James the ashes come from 

a catholic tradition. In history people who were 

preparing for penance covered themselves in ashes. 

Now we use the ashes in the sign of the cross on our 

foreheads to show that we want to repent or apologise 

for our sins. AND....did you know that the ashes we 

will see come from last year’s Palm Sunday 

celebration! Pretty exciting! Hey!”

James and Ashley just look at each other thinking 

that mum is crazy for getting excited about ashes.

During the Ash Wednesday church liturgy James 

and his family accept the ashes and are very 

reverent and respectful.

James thinks to himself ‘Well that wasn’t too bad, I 

wonder what else happens during lent?’

On the car ride home James asks his mum in a 

very soft voice “Mum..... what else happens during 

lent?’

Acting very surprised James’s mum replies “I’m 

glad you asked James. Lent is a time to prepare for 

Easter, Jesus death and resurrection. During lent 

we remember Jesus and all of the good thing he 

did for us. We can pray, fast and reflect on Jesus’s 

actions and examples. Lent actually goes for 40 

days because that is how long Jesus spent in the 

desert fasting and being tempted by Satan’s evil.”

James interrupted “Did you just say that Jesus 

spent 40 whole days fasting. Without food!”

James mum laughed “Yes James that is why this is 

such a special time to remember Jesus, because he 

has done some amazing things”.

“Anyway” James’s mum continued “We also fast 

during lent, but maybe not as extreme as Jesus. 

When we fast, we cut back on the less important 

things in our lives. I like to give up chocolate and 

lollies”.

James bursts in saying, “I could give up chocolate 

milk. I love chocolate milk!”

Laughing James’s mum says, “Yes James, yes you 

could!”

Ashley quietly says, “What about those people who 

don’t have much and can’t give anything up?”

“Good question Ashley” says James’s mum, “Well 

people who can give up things are reminded of how 

much they actually have and how much other 

people might not have. So we can give products to 

them. It is called Almsgiving, when we give 

something just because we want to and don’t 

expect anything in return”.

“How do we know who to give things too?” says 

Ashley

“We can give our things to a charity and they find 

the people who need them” replies James’s mum. 

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