February 17, 2026 - Good Morning! It’s Tuesday, February 17. Happy Mardi Gras! The term “Mardi Gras” is French for “Fat Tuesday”, and signifies the day before Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent, the season that leads to Easter. Why the adjective “fat”? The tradition was to indulge in rich foods and merriment on this day, things that would be discouraged during Lent.
Mardi Gras parades and festivities are held all over the world, including in U.S. cities like St. Louis, Mobile, Shreveport, Galveston, and, of course, New Orleans. But some people call today Shrove Tuesday, for the Old English word for confession. Others call it Pancake Day, and many churches are hosting pancake breakfasts this morning. Some churches commemorate this day by burning the branches from last year’s Palm Sunday. The ashes from that fire will be used to mark the sign of the cross on the foreheads of Ash Wednesday worshippers.
Colorful traditions that have spiritual foundations. Easter is coming, and we should begin to prepare our hearts and minds and souls to celebrate that great day!
Meet you back here tomorrow,
David
cindertex50@yahoo.com
