Preparing for Lent

Click Here for the 2026 Fasting Guidelines

Lent is the journey to Easter, and is a time to increase your devotion, to prioritize spiritual growth and living, and more. This is traditionally accomplished by focuses on three “lenten disciplines,” prayer, almsgiving, and fasting. If Lent is a journey, then every journey needs some time to prepare, and these weeks before we begin in March is perfect. Below are some resources to help you in your preparations.

Prayer.

Questions

  • How can you increase your praying this season?

  • How can your prayer life improve?

  • Do you pray as you ought? Do you pray intentionally? Deliberately?

  • Do you pray believing God will answer your prayer?

Action Items

  • Plan to attend Grace Night Masses through Lent (7:15-7:45 every Wednesday)

  • Plan time for personal prayer and devotions. Make it realistic (three days a week for beginners, or add one to two days if you already have the habit).

  • Make a prayer list that you can keep handy.

Almsgiving.

Questions

  • Are you offering to God a portion of what He has given you? Have you increased it recently? Are you giving to God only from time, or talent or treasure?

  • Can you broaden your sacrifice of thanksgiving to include more?

  • Do you show compassion on the powerless? Are you as helpful to others as you can be?

Action Items

  • Look at your budget with your family; can give more to God from thankfulness of His blessings to you?

  • Find a regular “treat yourself” item, like Starbucks, or your favorite snack/drink, and use what you would spend to give to a shelter or other ministry to the poor.

  • Challenge yourself to go out of your way to be kind and compassionate to someone every day.

Fasting.

Questions

  • Do you regularly deny yourself or are you more prone to indulge yourself?

  • How often do you challenge yourself?

Action Items

  • Read the Fasting Guidelines available HERE, and in the narthex in late February.

  • Talk to Pr. Hall about your plan and desires

  • Make a plan with your family as appropriate.

If fasting is not appropriate for you due to health or age considerations, try a fast from other things like TV, phone, or “screen time”; chocolate or other desserts; or other frequent luxuries.