The season of Lent begins with the memory of finitude and mortality, the symbolism of dust.  On Ash Wednesday, Christians are marked with the sign of the mark of dust.  Looking foolish, with ashes on our foreheads, we confront our own mortality in the midst of a culture which tries to deny death’s reality.  The mark of dust identifies us as foolish.  Yet the sight is also of the cross of the crucified and risen Christ, the highest wisdom of all.  And so that mark speaks of His Kingdom of Glory!

Kenneth Leech from We Preach Christ Crucified.

Teaching from Luther’s Small Catechism:

Thy kingdom come. What does this mean?

The kingdom of God comes indeed without our prayer, of itself; but we pray in this petition that it may come unto us also.

How is this done?

When our heavenly Father gives us His Holy Spirit, so that by His grace we believe His holy Word and lead a godly life, here in time and hereafter in eternity.