Just before Ash Wednesday, Catholics traditionally observe "Shrovetide," or "Carnival."

An Inuit hunter teaches a powerful lesson on lust.

Ash Wednesday calls us into that secret room of the heart, the holy place where God wants to dwell. The ashes placed upon our foreheads are visible, but their meaning is inward. They remind us that the Christian life is not about appearances. It is about conversion of heart.

As we begin the season of Lent, we begin with Ash Wednesday and the imposition of blessed ashes. We remember the account we must render.