Three Ways to Grow During Lent

Anne DeSantis invites Catholic mothers to grow in faith during Lent by deepening their love through daily life, sacrifice, and prayer. 

Lent is a sacred and grace-filled season in the life of the Church, inviting every believer to slow down, reflect, and grow closer to Christ. For Catholic mothers, this time of preparation takes place in the midst of busy family life, where faith is often lived quietly and faithfully each day. Lent is not about perfection, but about conversion of heart, especially a deeper commitment to love.

Love in Daily Life

Lent offers Catholic mothers a gentle yet powerful invitation to grow above all in love. In the midst of daily responsibilities — caring for children, supporting family members, managing work and home — Lent reminds mothers that holiness is often found in ordinary moments. Growth does not depend on extraordinary actions, but on loving more intentionally where God has placed us.

During Lent, even small acts done with love — patience at the breakfast table, attentiveness during a child’s story, or prayer offered while folding laundry — become ways God forms the heart.

Love Through Sacrifice

Catholic mothers are especially called to grow in love through sacrifice. Lent naturally includes fasting and self-denial, yet for mothers, sacrifice often looks like giving time, energy, and comfort for the sake of others. These daily sacrifices, when embraced with love rather than resentment, become deeply transformative. Lent helps mothers recognize that their sacrifices are not unnoticed by God; they are expressions of love that shape both the giver and those who receive.

Love Rooted in Prayer

Another essential way to grow during Lent is through love expressed as mercy and sustained by prayer. Family life can bring misunderstandings, frustrations, and emotional fatigue, and prayer becomes the place where love is renewed. When a mother turns to prayer — entrusting her family, worries, and hopes to the Lord — her heart is strengthened to forgive, to begin again, and to lead with compassion.

As Pope Leo XIV reminded Vatican employees and their families early in his pontificate:

Faith and prayer are like salt in food: they give it flavor. (Address to Vatican employees and their families, May 24, 2025; Vatican News)

As Lent unfolds, Catholic mothers discover that love deepens not by doing more, but by remaining close to Christ, allowing His love to shape their own and overflow into their homes.

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Copyright 2026 Anne DeSantis
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