Today is Ash Wednesday

Today, ashes (made of carbon from burned palm branches) mark our foreheads in the form of a cross. We are reminded that we are dust and into dust we shall return. The carbon cross we bear invites us to an alternative form of fasting, a carbon fast, through which we can renew our relationship with Mother Earth. Below is a six-week calendar with a reflection or practice for each day of Lent that addresses our “carbon footprint.” By becoming more environmentally conscious we engage in “incremental changes” that bring hope to future generations. See also Fast for the Climate.