No, Ash Wednesday is not a holy day here in the United States! http://www.catholic.org/prayers/holydays.php
But it doesn’t hurt to go to Mass anyway. Go ahead get your smudge on the forehead. Yes, Lent is for Love—Catholic style. We do for others. The ancient fast laws that burdened us day in and day out have been replaced to help us develop our own Lenten style of sacrifice. These historical comments from the link below show us how strict those laws once were.
. . .the general rule was for a person to have one meal a day, in the evening or at 3 p.m. six days a week including the days from Ash Wednesday—a total of 40 days of fast.
Regarding abstinence, Pope St. Gregory (d. 604), writing to St. Augustine of Canterbury, issued the following rule: "We abstain from flesh, meat, and from all things that come from flesh, as milk, cheese and eggs."
The new rules are less burdensome: http://www.americancatholic.org/features/lent/faqle9902.asp
To sum up those requirements, Catholics between the ages of 18 and 59 are obliged to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. In addition, all Catholics 14 years old and older must abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday, Good Friday and all the Fridays of Lent.
Fasting as explained by the U.S. bishops means partaking of only one full meal. Some food (not equaling another full meal) is permitted at breakfast and around midday or in the evening—depending on when a person chooses to eat the main or full meal.
Abstinence forbids the use of meat, but not of eggs, milk products or condiments made of animal fat.
The principal reason for Lent is to produce change. Called to become better people, we are encouraged to develop our own sense of penance because The obligation to do penance is a serious one; the obligation to observe, as a whole or "substantially," the days of penance is also serious.
In addition to the requirements on fasting and abstinence, let's really do Lent. We should tailor our penance to what prevents us from becoming holy. If we look on social and personal failures, we can find opportunities to expand our self giving
Let’s be kind to people we live with. Stop the bickering and complaining.
Have a sweet tooth? Skip the candies, the sugar, and the soda pop.
Slow down the frantic pace. Pray the Rosary daily.
Like watching TV? Why not exchange one program for a meditation on Christ.
Society is crazy with illicit sex. Let’s copy the chastity of the saints.
Diets are good for the body; beautifying the soul through prayer is better.
Go to the gym to get buff. Go to Mass to strengthen the soul against sin.
Take it slow. Don’t set yourself up for failure by trying to do everything. After your Lenten duty, pick one most annoying personal failure and work on it a little today, a little tomorrow, a little the next day. Skip Sunday; we all need a break.
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