I agree introspection is a good practice, with the goal of giving something up that is a hindrance to effective connection with God and one’s discipleship. I would ask, though, why give up a “vice or distraction” for just 40 days before going back to “normal”? If there is something one should be doing differently in one’s life, my aim would be to make a permanent change.
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This satirical humor post about the conundrums of a Mennonite during lent had me laughing. As a Mennonite, I can relate 
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Just so people understand that the previous is satirical about Mennonites, here is a scene at my church recently.
… near the end of the service. People from many walks of life sitting in the pews – young, old, new Canadians from various places, singles, couples, families, a bearded guy with a baseball cap… A call for announcements from the congregation is made. A gentleman walks to the front… “I have tickets to the Kitchener Rangers (local hockey team) game this afternoon that I can’t use. If anyone wants them, come and see me”. An older Mennonite lady, with traditional head covering, sitting at the side. Her hand shoots up – “Oh! oh!”
I do believe that she got the tickets 
.
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I think my main point is that we are still dust. I would venture to say that Jesus was also dust when on this Earth right up until the Resurrection, at which point dust transformed. And it is beneficial to remind ourselves that we are still dust – a reminder that should happen every time we sin . . . and as at least one church Father noted, we can count sinning in the “various trials” concerning which James says we should count them as joy, because each sin reminds us we need – and have! – a Savior.
Given that it means “remember you must die”, it certainly fits with Ash Wednesday!
That’s actually an aberration. The original idea was to give up something and leave it given up; the discipline of Lent was supposed to provide focus for adding a bit more asceticism to the Christian life. It was accompanied by stricter fasting than usual, which was supposed to be accompanied by meditation on Christ’s forty days in the wilderness; time spent not eating is supposed to be spent meditating on that time of testing.
I heard an excellent Ash Wednesday sermon from a Lutheran priest one year where he noted that each Lent we are to give up something that will stay given up, so that by the time a Christian is forty years old he/she should have removed two dozen bad habits (or whatever) permanently. Thinking back on that, I have to admit I haven’t done well at that.
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For what it’s worth, here are this year’s readings from the common lectionary (Roman Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, and some pothers share these):
“Yet even now,” declares the Lord,
“return to me with all your heart,
with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;
and rend your hearts and not your garments.”
Return to the Lord your God,
for he is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love;
and he relents over disaster.
Who knows whether he will not turn and relent,
and leave a blessing behind him,
a grain offering and a drink offering
for the Lord your God?
Blow the trumpet in Zion;
consecrate a fast;
call a solemn assembly;
gather the people.
Consecrate the congregation;
assemble the elders;
gather the children,
even nursing infants.
Let the bridegroom leave his room,
and the bride her chamber.
Between the vestibule and the altar
let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep
and say, “Spare your people, O Lord,
and make not your heritage a reproach,
a byword among the nations.
Why should they say among the peoples,
‘Where is their God?’”
Then the LORD was stirred to concern for his land
and took pity on his people.
For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is ever before me.
Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you may be justified in your words
and blameless in your judgment.
Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
and in sin did my mother conceive me.
Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being
Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and uphold me with a willing spirit.
Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
and sinners will return to you.
Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God,
O God of my salvation,
and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
Working together with him, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For he says,
“In a favorable time I listened to you,
and in a day of salvation I have helped you.”
Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.
“Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.
“Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
“And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
“And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
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Yes, these readings deal with the “repentance” theme (which I have no issue about per se). But my question to @Kendel above was specifically around the expression of the death theme, the “memento mori”, the “dust to dust” we’re all going to die philosophy.
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Shoot,
Now I’m confounded too! We just seem to be talking past each other on this one. You don’t seem to understand the basis of my questions (or find them interesting), and I don’t understand why you think I’m asserting something about your faith that I don’t think I’m asserting…
Probably best then to drop this one if its just going to be us spinning wheels in opposite directions.
No offense intended.
Peace
Agreed.
Thank you.
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Good thoughts, Laura. The whole of the “Passion Week” contains events, or memories of particular events, conversations, etc — that can give us something to think about…Understanding Good Friday leads to greater appreciation of Easter Sunday.
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Pondering Good Friday today it came to me that Ash Wednesday really is connected: Ash Wednesday reminds us of just who it was that Christ redeemed and just what He became in order to accomplish that: He became dust and ashes for us.
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I just read an online sermonette on the meaning of Ash Wednesday. I liked it. If people in general see that day as one way of remembering the things that necessitated Good Friday, then it’s helpful. We should remember that (in some corner of our heads) all the time, frankly.
All the festivals are about something we should remember all the time. Even saint’s days started that way; they were remembered as examples of how to be like Christ.
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