Happy? Ash Wednesday

I'm not sure if "Happy" is the word to use. But the more I think about it, the more I believe it is correct. So, I thought, why not make a "Top 10" reasons it is happy? Here we go...

Top Ten Things About Lent/Ash Wednesday

10. Even the Pope gets ashes today...to show us he is a servant of the servants as well.

9. You can save money on all the food you won't be eating while fasting!!

8. All the good fish recipes are shared...and who doesn't like grilled cheese and tomato soup?

7. A convenient excuse to watch The Passion of the Christ.

6. Purple is a much more elegant liturgical color than green.

5. You don't need to hide or make excuses around your penance and sacrifices--because everyone else is supposed to be doing the same thing.

4. Recycling. The ashes for Ash Wednesday are burned Palms from Palm Sunday the year before. Catholicism was green before being green was cool!

3. Catholic camaraderie. When you see someone else with ashes today, you know they were at Mass, too! :) That and you can learn more about your friends and co-workers--I didn't know you were Catholic?!

2. Cool antiphons.

and the #1 reason Lent and Ash Wednesday is happy...

...is the chance to become closer to Jesus Christ!

So yes, I say to you, Happy Ash Wednesday!