The article below provides excellent information on the western Catholic practice of receiving ashes on their forehead today. The handling of symbolism, identity, sincerity, and hypocrisy is deftly handled by this article. You could apply this teaching to many debates regarding the utility of symbolism and rituals versus say, worshipping false idols.

www.americamagazine.org/faith/2022/03/02/ash-wednesday-catholic-242449

Are you a hypocrite? If your reading this, my bet is that you are not, at least not intentionally!

Happy Lent out there to all who practice increased devotion and reclamation of your desire to be in communion with God.