Today is Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent.
The death and resurrection of Jesus is the big story line of the Bible. t’s no surprise, then, that a majority of Christians celebrate it every year on Easter Sunday.
Lent, in the Christian church, is a period of preparation for Easter. The period starts six and a half weeks before Easter, and lasts for 40-days. Many people fast or give up something for this holiday. The rationale is to mimic Jesus Christ’s fasting in the wilderness before he began his public ministry.
What is up with the Ashes?
The ashes are an outward sign of fasting, repentance, moderation and spiritual discipline. Historically, ashes signified purification and sorrow for sins. During some Ash Wednesday services, people will go to church, and the minister or priest will lightly rub the sign of the cross with ashes onto the foreheads of worshipers.
As we think about inclusion and diversity, religion identity is an essential factor in how people define themselves.
A popular Christian verse:
“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.” John 3:16-17
This information was provided by the Diversity and Inclusion manager of a global organisation based in the UK. Feel free to use this for your organisations to help all staff whatever faith or non faith learn about the Christian faith.