I doubt your assertion that Ash Wednesday has pagan roots. I am part of a liturgical church that celebrates the church year along with feasts and festivals. This good order has been built over years. It has nothing to do with works. We are saved by grace, through faith, for works. The good order is a construct in which we operate.
If there is something wrong with the practices of Ash Wednesday, let's hear it. If there is truly a problem, then we need to reform or eliminate the practice. But I have no interest in dismantling tradition because some expert studied history and equates a pagan practice with church tradition. Just search "pagan roots Christianity" and you can drive yourself crazy.
Please post the roots and dates of any Christian source. We know it didn't appear during the time of the Apostles. It was added later.
We know the practice of wearing ashes honored a false god to earn his favor, as posted above. If this is not so, it should be demonstrable.