Jump-Start Your Lent: Recommitting to Lenten Practice

For those struggling to maintain Lenten penances, Tina Mayeux offers ideas about how to refocus and get back on track.

We are about midway through the Lenten season—are you feeling your fervor fade? Are your penances falling by the wayside? Now is a perfect time to recommit to the practices of Lent. If you feel that you need a boost, there are many ways to dive back into your Lenten practices and give your spiritual life a jump start.

The three pillars of Lent are prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Some of us may find ourselves more focused on one of these aspects than others. For example, we may find that our prayer this Lent has been consistent and fruitful, but we have not incorporated the pillars of fasting and almsgiving into our Lenten regimen. Examining ourselves and determining where we can make improvements is the first step in recommitting to the penance of Lent.

This season is often described as “going into the desert” as Jesus did in preparation for His earthly ministry, where He was tempted by the devil. Though sinless, He understands our weaknesses because He allowed Himself to undergo this period of testing in the desert. We, too, are called to go into our own desert of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving during Lent. St. Paul promises that God will give us the grace to withstand the temptations we face:

God is faithful and will not let you be tried beyond your strength; but with the trial he will also provide a way out, so that you may be able to bear it. (1 Corinthians 10:13)

An excellent first step would be to go to Eucharistic Adoration and ask the Lord to guide us in how to continue with our Lenten practices. In prayer before the Blessed Sacrament is the most perfect place to speak to Jesus about our intentions and ask for His help in carrying them out. In the silence of Adoration, we are better able to hear the voice of Christ in our hearts and receive the graces we need.

Once we have determined which areas we need improvement in, we can implement particular commitments for the remainder of this Lent. There are many ways to recommit to the three pillars of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Here are a few ideas on how to go back into the desert with Jesus for the remainder of this penitential season:

Prayer

If we have given up on our original undertakings, simply recommitting to them with a renewed fervor is a great place to start. Another idea is to attend a Lenten mission or talk to help get back on track. We can also decide to add the daily Rosary, Chaplet of Divine Mercy, or the Stations of the Cross on Fridays, which is a beautiful Lenten undertaking.

Fasting

Fasting can be one of the most challenging aspects of Lent. If we have been dutifully avoiding listening to the radio, or scrolling through social media, or eating chocolate as a Lenten penance, we can thank God for the grace to be faithful to our intentions and continue with them. On the other hand, if we have been less successful, we can begin again today. It is not too late to restart our Lenten fasting with renewed fervor. Remembering all that Jesus suffered for us during His Passion and Crucifixion can help us to stay motivated.

Almsgiving

If there is a person or family facing difficult times, we can offer to bring a meal to help lighten the load. Offering even a small gesture of kindness, such as sending a card or baking cookies for someone facing challenging times, is sure to bring joy to that person or family. Making a donation to your favorite charity or to your parish or special collection for Church ministries conducted during Lent is another means of almsgiving. Donating nonperishable food items in your parish or to a local food bank is a wonderful way to give alms during the Lenten season. Involving your children in the endeavor can help teach them the value of sacrifice and service to others.

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We are called to go into our own desert of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving during Lent. #CatholicMom

St. Margaret Mary Alacoque encouraged us in this manner,

Let us begin in earnest to work out our salvation, for no one will do it for us, since even He Himself, Who made us without ourselves, will not save us without ourselves.

It is up to us to act and make efforts to grow in our spiritual lives, especially during this holy season. Let us begin today, then, to enter into the desert of Lent with Jesus and to recommit ourselves to its observance in preparation for the Solemnity of Easter.

Copyright 2023 Christina Mayeux
Images: copyright 2023 Christina Mayeux, all rights reserved; Canva