Ash Wednesday:
Gregory I. (590–604) fixed the Wednesday of the sixth week before Easter, Ash Wednesday as it is called,735 as the beginning of it. On this day the priests and the people sprinkled themselves with dust and ashes, in token of their perishableness and their repentance, with the words: "Remember, O man, that dust thou art, and unto dust thou must return; repent, that thou mayest inherit eternal life."[1]
8 A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Hosanna in the highest!”[2]

Jesus rides into town and he is loved. The crowd had the anticipation of a King who would return Israel to its rightful place. When the expectations of the crowd are not met they soon turn on Jesus. Here is where all the plans of humans come to ashes. We have the idea that if it just went the way we wanted it to go then all would be right. The folly with this logic is that I do not have the eternal perspective of God. So this is the reason all of my plans and desires come to ash, like the palm branches, like the Temple in Jerusalem. How long does it take to learn to lie down my will, and say “thy will be done”, and then to move from saying it to living it? How tempted am I to construct my own kingdom? To be like the people who wanted to build the tower of Babel. It is the same struggle today as it has always been. It is that I am to risk all and trust in the Lord, for his way is eternal.
735 Dies cinerum, caput jejunii, or quadragesimae.
[1]Schaff, Philip ; Schaff, David Schley: History of the Christian Church. Oak Harbor, WA : Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997
d A Hebrew expression meaning ``Save!” which became an exclamation of praise; also in verse 15
[2] The Holy Bible : New International Version. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. Mt 21:8