Pray, Fast, Give

Pray, Fast, Give are the three traditional pillars of Lent. These practices help us deepen our relationship with God. If each of us takes on small manageable challenges, it will form habits for a lifetime.

We start the Lenten Season on Ash Wednesday, and it ends on Holy Saturday, the day before Easter (excluding Sundays). Lent is a time to remember the 40 days and nights that Jesus lived in the desert tempted by Satan, and the sacrifice that he made for us on the cross.

Deepening our Life of Prayer

Throughout the season of Lent, we are called to deepen our life of prayer. Pray more often, attend weekday Mass, spend some time before the Blessed Sacrament, or pray the Rosary. Whatever we choose, the important thing is that we set aside some time each day to share our hopes, joys, fears and frustrations with God. It will bring us to new places in our relationship with Him.

Fasting

Throughout the season of Lent, Catholics often give something up, sweets or a favourite food, maybe technology, or a comfort we enjoy. Fasting and abstinence help us to participate more fully in the Season of Lent and the cross of Christ. The result of such denial is that we focus our lives more fully on Christ.

Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are obligatory days of fasting and abstinence from meat for Catholics. In addition, Fridays during Lent are obligatory days of abstinence from meat. For members of the Latin Catholic Church (that's us), the norms on fasting are obligatory from age 18 until age 59. When fasting, a person is permitted to eat one full meal, as well as, two smaller meals that together are not equal to a full meal. The norms concerning abstinence from meat are binding upon members of the Latin Catholic Church from age 14 onwards.

Who is exempt from fasting?

People who are physically or mentally ill might be exempt from fasting, including: people with chronic illnesses like diabetes; women who are pregnant; women who are breastfeeding; people who are taking medications that require food; people who have suffered from eating disorders; and people whose work would be seriously impacted (like those who do intense physical labor).

Food-Related Fasts

If you cannot limit the amount of food you consume, you could still look for other ways to be intentional about the types of food you consume, including: not having any beverages besides water; skipping snacks; skipping dessert; eat more simple meals; don’t use salt; don’t sweeten your coffee or tea; or when you eat, stop to pray for those who are not able to eat through no choice of their own.

Giving Alms

The Lenten call to give means making the needs of other people our own. It allows us to bring forth a spirit of generosity in our life. Sharing our material goods is just the beginning of living as a follower of Christ. We are also called to share our time and our talents to fulfil Christ’s mission on earth. As St. Clare has told us, ““Let the love you have in your hearts be shown outwardly in your deeds”.

The 40 days of Lent are a time to intensify our awareness of God in our lives.

Have a most holy Lenten Season.