The purpose of the remembering through ashes is not for morbidity sake. But rather as a means to return to God in humility, repentance and purity of heart. The sacramental and willing embrace of the ashes are an embrace of God’s just sentence upon man and at the same time a plea for His mercy and the power to be redeemed.
Epiphany IV - Jesus sleeping in a storm tossed boat is a picture of Christian Maturity. Jesus does not hold your hand while you drown, he does not comfort you and say perish in peace, He destroys your enemies and delivers you from the storm.
For the Feast of the Holy Innocents: "Never, in fact, would that impious tyrant have been able to benefit these children by the sweetest kindness as much as he has done by his hatred." -St. Augustine