ASHES ON THE FOREHEAD, HOPE IN THE HEART

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, a special time to draw closer to God, change our hearts, and learn to love better.

Explaining this to such young children was a beautiful challenge. I didn’t speak of penance with complicated words. I told them something very simple: “The ashes remind us that we want to be better, that we want to love Jesus very much and be kind to our friends.”

When the time came to impose the ashes, each child approached with a mixture of respect and tenderness. Some closed their eyes very seriously; others smiled gently. On their small foreheads, the cross looked like an embrace from God.

One of the most moving moments was when I asked them:

“What do you want to say to Jesus today?”

Their answers were simple, but full of truth:

“Jesus, I love you.”

“I’m going to share my toys.”

“I’m not going to fight.”

—“I will obey my mom.”

In those childlike promises, I understood that conversion begins with small things: sharing, forgiving, obeying, helping.

As I accompanied these little “angels,” my heart was also touched. Seeing their sincerity invited me to examine my own attitude. They live their faith without masks, without complications, with complete trust.

Celebrating Ash Wednesday with the children was not just a liturgical activity; it was a profoundly human and spiritual experience. It was a reminder that faith is sown from the earliest years, with simple gestures and words full of love.

At the end of the day, looking at their foreheads marked with the cross and their pure smiles, I felt immense gratitude. In those little hearts, God is already working wonders. And I understood that, in the simplicity of children, Lent begins with purity, joy, and hope.

Therese Mbula

El Seibo Community, Dominican Republic