Recently I was under the weather, and it came out of the blue. I had to lay around to recover and that is tough for me. I was not prepared. I hate wasting time. Lent, which starts in a few days, does not arrive like a surprise guest. The Church, in her wisdom, gives us time to prepare—not just to mark our calendars, but to ready our hearts. Before ashes touch our foreheads, Lent asks a gentler question: “Are you prepared to walk honestly with the Lord?” Let’s not waste our time.
Lent is not about spiritual heroics. It is about truth. It is a season that invites us to step into the desert with Jesus—not to prove our strength, but to discover our need for God. Preparation for Lent, then, is less about deciding what to give up and more about asking what needs healing.
A good place to begin is prayer. Many Catholics resolve to “pray more” during Lent, but preparation asks us to be specific. For example, rather than adding over the top behaviors that may not last, one might commit to ten quiet minutes each morning with the day’s Gospel. There are many great apps to help. Another may decide to turn off the radio during the commute and pray the Rosary slowly, one decade at a time dedicating it to a certain intention. The goal is not quantity, but attentiveness—learning again how to listen for God’s voice beneath the noise of daily life.
Fasting, too, benefits from preparation. Giving up chocolate or social media can be meaningful, but only if it opens space for conversion. Consider fasting from impatience by pausing before responding in frustration. Consider fasting from gossip by choosing silence instead of sharing a story that diminishes another. These fasts are harder to measure, but they shape the heart more deeply and make room for grace.
Almsgiving, the third pillar of Lent, reminds us that conversion is never private. Preparing for Lent might mean deciding now how generosity will look. I have suggested in the past that a household could place a simple box on the kitchen table and add to it throughout the season, allowing children to see sacrifice become love in action. An individual might commit to donating time—visiting a lonely neighbor, volunteering at a food pantry, or writing letters to the homebound. Almsgiving is not just about money; it is about letting compassion interrupt our schedules.
Finally, Lent invites reconciliation, and preparation means courage. Scheduling a confession before Lent begins can clear the path for a more honest season. It is an act of trust to bring our sins into the light and hear again the words, “I absolve you.” The sacrament reminds us that Lent is not about self-improvement, but about mercy received.
Getting ready for Lent is a recovery time. When I was sick, I had to prioritize so I could get back on my feet. Let’s do the same for our Lenten journey of recovery. Don’t bring everything—only what will help you walk more freely with Christ. I am glad that I am now physically heathier, but hopefully I will be spiritually as well. When Ash Wednesday arrives, may we step forward not with fear or reluctance, but with quiet hope, ready to be changed by the God who meets us in the desert and leads us toward Easter light.
God bless you,
Fr. J.J.