CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- It’s Ash Wednesday when Christians mark the beginning of the season of Lent. Most people who get ashes marked in the sign of the cross on their foreheads are getting them in churches, but not everyone.
Kelly Ravenscraft of Urban Village Church stood outside the CTA station on Roosevelt Road near State Street with a homemade sign that said “Got Ashes?”
Ravenscraft was distributing ashes to whomever wanted them.
"As soon as I got here, someone came up and was saying, ‘I got off specifically at this stop because I knew y’all would be here,'" the 22-year old said.
When a woman named Pam stopped for ashes, Ravenscraft dipped a finger in a small container with the ashes of palms from last Palm Sunday, traced a cross on Pam's forehead and said, "From dust you came, to dust you shall return. Hopefully it’ll be a reminder of God’s presence even in the hard times that we’re having."
"I feel like God is everywhere and it’s good that people come out to be vessels to reach the other people in the world," she said.
Most people passed by Ravenscraft without offering a glance, but Ravenscraft remained smiling in the bitter cold and said she did not take it personally.
"We live in a pretty big city and it can still be really easy to be isolated so, I think sometimes it’s a good reminder, if anything, to be more connected," she said.
Ravenscraft went on to say she understood those who ignored her.
"One thing I have noticed, even about myself, is how often I have headphones in, how much I’m not aware of even my surroundings and so, I think it might even just be a challenge of, ‘how can we stop ourselves from getting so isolated on our commutes?'"
Urban Village Church distributed ashes at various downtown locations, CTA stops and on the campuses of Northwestern University and the University of Chicago in the morning and at lunchtime. Ashes are to be distributed at a couple more CTA stops during the Wednesday evening commute.