When IHS dissed the Pharisees for conspicuous displays of devotion, he said they did it in anticipation of praise.
On FreeRepublic and in other venues, a Catholic who chooses the OPTIONAL (youknow that, right? It’s OPTIONAL? A Catholic doesn’t HAVE to get ashes or even to go to Mass on Ash Wednesday) practice of having his forehead marked with ashes can be assured of being mocked.
So the comparison with the pharisees wouldn’t seem to hold up. They did it for praise. We do it in spite of insult, judgment, and contempt.
Actually what most of the saved feel is pity