How to Have a Good and Holy Lent
Every year, Lent arrives whether we are ready or not. We may give something up, add a few prayers, and hope for the best. But too often, Lent passes quickly—and we realize little has truly changed.
A wise sister once said that many people fail at Lent because they try to do too much, or they choose sacrifices that cost them very little. A good Lent is not about impressing God. It is about conversion of heart.
So how do we have a truly good Lent?
1. Choose Something That Actually Hurts
Lent is a season of penance. That means sacrifice. If what we “give up” barely inconveniences us, it will not change us.
Instead of asking, “What would be easy?”
Ask, “What holds me back from God?”
Is it comfort?
Is it food?
Is it screen time?
Is it impatience?
Is it pride?
Choose something that touches the root of the problem.
Lent should stretch us. It should remind us that we are not slaves to our appetites.
2. Add Prayer, Not Just Subtract Comfort
Lent is not only about giving things up. It is about drawing closer to Christ.
If you give something up but do not increase prayer, you may simply become irritated instead of holy.
Consider adding:
Daily Mass when possible
Stations of the Cross on Fridays
A daily Rosary
Spiritual reading
A few minutes of silent prayer
Lent is about relationship. The goal is not self-improvement—it is union with Christ.
3. Go to Confession Early
Do not wait until Holy Week. Begin Lent with a clean soul.
A sincere confession at the start of Lent opens the door for real grace. It makes your sacrifices meaningful. It gives strength for the fight.
A wise spiritual teacher once emphasized that grace builds on humility. Confession humbles us—and that humility makes Lent powerful.
4. Offer Your Lent for Souls
Lent becomes far more fruitful when we stop focusing only on ourselves.
Offer your sacrifices:
For a loved one who has left the Faith
For a child or spouse struggling spiritually
For the Holy Souls in Purgatory
For the conversion of sinners
When we unite our small sacrifices to Christ’s Passion, they participate in His saving work. The Cross redeemed the world. Our Lenten penances, joined to His Cross, can help obtain graces for souls.
That changes everything.
Suddenly, your hunger matters.
Your self-denial matters.
Your effort matters.
Because love is behind it.
5. Don’t Give Up If You Fail
You will fail at something during Lent. Everyone does.
The key is not perfection—it is perseverance.
If you fall, begin again immediately. Do not wait until tomorrow. Do not say, “I’ve ruined it.” Lent is a training ground in humility. Falling and rising again is part of growth.
God is more pleased with humble perseverance than dramatic success.
6. Remember Why You’re Doing This
Lent prepares us for Easter—but more importantly, it prepares us for Heaven.
We fast because Christ fasted.
We suffer because Christ suffered.
We sacrifice because He sacrificed everything.
A good Lent should make us:
More patient
More prayerful
Less attached to comfort
More aware of sin
More grateful for the Cross
If Easter finds us even slightly more humble, more loving, and more detached from sin, then Lent has been successful.
