Lent provides us with an opportunity to deepen our faith and connect more profoundly with God. The Catholic traditions of fasting and abstinence (limiting our food choices and amounts), almsgiving (financial charity to others) and prayer during the Lenten season are truly sacramental symbols. Like any sacramental symbol, these Lenten practices make something more real, more tangible to us – in this case, the suffering of others.

During Lent, our desire for food, for money, and for self-reliance should be compared and contrasted to the lack of food, lack of financial security, and lack of hope that too many of our brothers and sisters experience. Catholics who never hunger, never fear homelessness, and never fear powerlessness are not able to truly empathize with those who do. When considering Lenten dietary regulations, charitable practices, and prayer habits, we encourage Catholics to embrace hunger, to give alms until it hurts financially, and to seek the Lord in prayer constantly, giving thanks always for the blessings which materially and spiritually sustain us. All our material blessings are only ‘lent’ to us – especially during this season of Lent, let us reflect on how we spend those blessings for others.

To help you make the most of this season, Bishop Edward J. Burns, in his video below, shares some of his wisdom and reflections on the importance of the Lenten season.