Lent Is Almost Here. Here’s What It Is, What It’s Not, and How to Walk It Faithfully
Lent begins next Wednesday, and if you’re anything like me, you may already be thinking about what you should give up, what you should add, and whether you’re going to “do it right” this year.
Let me say this first. Lent is not about being perfect. It is not about proving your holiness. And it is definitely not about piling on so many sacrifices that you burn out by week two.
Lent is about drawing closer to Jesus.
At its heart, Lent is a season of repentance, reflection, and renewal. The Church gives us forty days to slow down, examine our hearts, turn away from sin, and return to God with honesty and humility. It mirrors Jesus’ forty days in the desert, where He fasted, prayed, and prepared for what was to come.
What Lent Is Really About
Lent is an invitation to let God gently show us what needs healing, what needs surrender, and what needs to change. It is not meant to be a season of shame. It is a season of mercy.
Yes, there are sacrifices. Yes, there is fasting and penance. But all of it is meant to soften our hearts, not harden them. Lent prepares us to truly enter into the joy of Easter by first walking through the Cross with Jesus.
What to Give Up and What to Add
A lot of people focus only on what they are giving up. Chocolate. Social media. Coffee. Those can be good sacrifices, but Lent goes deeper than that.
A helpful way to approach Lent is to ask two simple questions, what is pulling me away from God and what could help me draw closer to Him
When I approach Lent, I personally like to do both. I like to give something up and add something in. I look honestly at my life and ask what is pulling me away from God in this season. Is it distraction. Is it scrolling. Is it complaining. Is it filling every quiet moment with noise. Then I try to give that thing up, not just to deprive myself, but to make room. And I replace it with something that will actually draw me closer to Him. More prayer. More Scripture. The rosary.
Giving something up without replacing it often just leaves a void but replacing it with something holy transforms the heart. The goal is not to suffer for the sake of suffering. The goal is transformation.
Oh, Fun Fact About Lent and Sundays
Here’s something a lot of people don’t know, and it actually brings a lot of peace to the Lenten season. Sundays are not part of the Lenten fast.
Even though Lent is often called forty days, if you count from Ash Wednesday to Easter, it’s actually longer than that. That’s because the Church does not count Sundays as days of fasting or penance.
Why. Because every Sunday is a celebration of the Resurrection. Sundays are considered little Easters. No matter what season we are in, the Church never fasts on Sundays because we are always celebrating that Jesus rose from the dead.
That doesn’t mean Sundays are a free for all or that Lent disappears for the day. It simply means that the spirit of joy and hope is always present, even during a season of repentance.
I love this because it reminds me that Lent is not meant to feel heavy or miserable. Even in the desert, God gives us moments to breathe, rejoice, and remember the victory that is coming.
Start Lent With a Good Confession
One of the most beautiful ways to enter Lent is by going to Confession early in the season, or even right before Lent begins.
Confession is not meant to be scary or humiliating. It is a place of healing. A place where Jesus meets us exactly where we are and restores us with His mercy.
Walking into Lent with a clean slate allows you to fully receive what God wants to do in your heart during this season. If you have been putting it off, consider this your gentle nudge.
What If You Mess Up During Lent
This is important to talk about, because it happens to all of us.
You will mess up. You will forget. You might break your fast. You might skip prayer. You might lose motivation halfway through.
That does not mean you failed Lent.
Lent is not about perfection. It is about perseverance. When you fall, you get back up. When you forget, you begin again. When you struggle, you turn back to God, not away from Him.
The enemy loves to convince us that once we mess up, we might as well give up. That is not the voice of God.
God is patient. He is gentle. And He honors every small step we take toward Him.
Books to Help You Walk Through Lent
One thing that has always helped me during Lent is spiritual reading. Not to rush through, but to sit with slowly and prayerfully.
Here are a few Catholic books from my personal collection that are beautiful companions for the Lenten season.
The Imitation of Christ: This book gently calls the soul back to humility and true discipleship. It is perfect for morning reading and quiet reflection.
The Passion of Christ Through the Eyes of Mary: Walking through the Passion with Our Lady changes everything. This is a powerful evening read, especially when paired with the Rosary.
He Leadeth Me: A beautiful testimony of trusting God through suffering and uncertainty. Very fitting for Lent.
Something Beautiful for God: A reminder that holiness is found in small acts of love, sacrifice, and service.
Lives of the Saints: Reading about the saints helps us remember that holiness is possible, even in weakness.
Introduction to the Devout Life: A practical and encouraging guide to living a holy life in everyday moments.
The Practice of the Presence of God: A simple but powerful reminder that God is with us in every moment of the day.
Walking Into Lent With the Right Heart
If you take anything from this, let it be this. Lent is not about doing everything perfectly. It is about showing up with an open heart. It is about letting Jesus meet you in your weakness, your effort, your intention, and your desire to grow.
Whether this Lent feels strong or messy, quiet or challenging, God will meet you in it.
Just keep turning back to Him.
Lord, as we step into this Lenten season, I don’t want to do this out of routine or pressure. I want to do this with You. Show me what in my life needs to be surrendered. Gently reveal the distractions, the habits, the pride, or the fears that are pulling me away from You. Give me the courage to let them go. Teach me how to fast with the right heart. Teach me how to pray when I feel distracted. Teach me how to persevere when I mess up. Help me remember that Lent is not about being perfect. It is about turning back to You again and again. Draw me closer to Your heart. Walk with me in the desert. Strengthen me through the Cross. Prepare me to rejoice fully in the Resurrection. I give You these forty days. Shape me. Refine me. Bring me home to You.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
