Prayer. Fasting. Almsgiving. The Church places these three practices before us every Lent not as some random suggestion, but as a way of reorienting our hearts. They’re meant to help us turn back to God, to clear away what distracts us, and to make room for Him to work more deeply in our lives.

Prayer reminds us of who we are. Before we do anything, before we try to fix anything, we first have to remember that we’re sons and daughters of the Father. A real prayer life keeps that identity alive, it grounds us. It shapes the way we see ourselves, the way we see others, and the way we respond to what happens around us. So, Lent is an invitation to be more intentional about that relationship to be more real with the Lord about what’s going on in our hearts.

Fasting, on the other hand, isn’t just about willpower or proving that we can give something up. It’s about honesty. It asks us to look at the places where we tend to settle, the habits that quietly pull us away from God, the patterns we keep repeating. Most of us already know what those are. Fasting becomes a way of saying, “Lord, I do not want these things to have control over my life, I want to rely on You.” It is a concrete way of choosing freedom, it’s a way of building discipline so that we can trust the Lord more fully.

And then almsgiving turns our attention outward. Lent is never meant to be only about self-improvement, it’s not just about staying focused on ourselves…that would be prideful. When our hearts are being converted, we begin to notice other people more. We become more aware of suffering, of loneliness, of need. There are many different ways to give alms…it’s not just about being generous financially. Sometimes, it looks like patience, presence, forgiveness, or simply showing up. It is about allowing the love we receive from God to move through us.

In just a few moments, we’re going to come forward to receive ashes. You will hear the words, “Repent, and believe in the Gospel.” That’s a reminder to us of what Lent is all about, really what life in general is all about. It’s about conversion, giving our lives to the Lord, it’s about turning away from things that are preventing us from living wholly for Him. Our lives are incredibly fragile and the time that we have is precious. That’s what makes Lent so important and what we choose to do with this season matters. Will we allow the Lord to use this time to bring us to conversion? Will we allow Him to change us?

Photo: Ashes, Ahna Ziegler. Used under Unsplash license.