40 days of useless fasting that fails quicker than your new year’s resolution; that’s what Lent is, right? So very wrong friends! Lent is a beautiful time of fasting, prayer, and almsgiving, as we prepare for the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, celebrated at Easter. Catholics are meant to mirror the 40 days Jesus spent in the desert as they unite their sufferings to those of the Lord. Ash Wednesday was on February 22, 2023, so let’s start off strong. If Lent has never been a fruitful time for you, I invite you to approach it differently this year. The following list includes creative ways to change up your faith life in small, intentional ways this liturgical season.

Prayer

The Catholic Church doesn’t want you to just drop sweets and call it a day. Rather, they ask for an increase in prayer as well! Nourish your spirit in these unique ways:

1. Pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet
2. Go to Daily Mass once a week
3. Litany of Humility or the Litany of Trust
4. Study the Saint of the Day
5. Go to confession multiple times during the season
6. Get a weekly holy hour
7. Carry a rosary in your pocket instead of your phone
8. Journal before bed
9. Drive to school in silence and let the Lord have time to speak
10. Go to the stations of the cross
11. Pray for the bad drivers on the road instead of getting angry
12. Participate in the Mass through being a Eucharistic minister, canter, reader, server, or gift bearer
13. Come to first Saturdays with Teens for Life
14. Consecration to Mary
15. Daily rosary- (Sorrowful Mysteries)
16. Sit up straight during Mass
17. Follow a Catholic Podcast- Fr. Mike Schmitz’s Catechism or Bible in a Year podcast, Abiding Together, and so many more!

Fasting

It is easy to get caught up in our comfortable lives of satisfying every little pleasure. Fasting asks you to take a break from the things that do not draw you closer to Jesus Christ. A strict absence of certain harmful habits can lead to immense growth in ways you never thought possible. Reflect if you would be a holier person without the following:

1. Speeding
2. Snacks
3. Gossiping, complaining, and cursing
4. Using heat on your hair and makeup
5. Unnecessary expenses
6. Hot showers (please still shower)
7. Laziness- workout after school
8. Color on your phone- turn to grayscale
9. The radio/ morning music- see #9 in Prayer
10. All other beverages besides water
11. Slouching
12. The kneeler at church
13. Your mirror
14. Staying up late
15. Talking over people
16. Procrastination
17. Bad dental health- Wear your retainers or floss!

Almsgiving

Almsgiving is an essential piece of the Lenten sacrifice that often gets left behind. Simply Catholic defines it as “Our response to the teachings of Jesus that encourage us to reach out to people in need—not just with our money—but with our time and our talents”. As a high school student, it is completely reasonable if you don’t have that much spare change lying around to donate to the church, but there are many other ways you can still give alms and serve the people around you. You are young and have such an able body, so take some of your time and effort over the next 40 days to give of yourself to the community.

1. Using your Starbucks money to give to the church
2. Hanging out with your family instead of locking yourself in your room
3. Make blessing bags for the homeless
4. Cook dinner for your family
5. Help with chores obediently
6. Smile at people you don’t know in the hallway
7. Sit with someone different at lunch
8. Say hi to Big Mo when you throw away your trash at lunch
9. Donate your clothes to Turnstyles
10. Pick up an extra can at the grocery store and give it to catholic charities food drive happening all the time at church
11. Recycle- take care of God’s planet too
12. Call a member of your family that you don’t see very often
13. Write letters to your friends 
14. Talk to your parents! Ask them about how their day was
15. Play with your pets
16. Care for your siblings, younger and older

Lent is about sacrifice, but with a profound purpose. This is a time to cut out what keeps us separated from the Lord and draw near Him. No matter what it is, on this list or not, challenge yourself and watch the growth. When we give God the time and space to speak, He works wonders. He is dying to pour out His love to you, so don’t let that go to waste. Seize this Lenten season my friends! You will be in my prayers.