What traditonally happened on ash Wednesday?

Roman Catholic AnswerThe readings for Ash Wednesday are Jl 2:12-18, 2 Cor 5:20-6:2, and Mt 6:1-6, 16-18. The reading from Joel is about the Day of the Lord and calls for a return to the Lord with "fasting and weeping". The reading from St. Paul says that today is NOW is the acceptable time, NOW is the day of salvation. Finally, the Gospel is from the Sermon on the Mount concerning almsgiving, prayer, and fasting: the traditional three fold discipline of Lent.