Ash wednesday

Attend Mass

The feast of Ash Wednesday is celebrated on the same day in both the old and new calendars. Attend Mass to receive ashes on your forehead and contemplate the priest’s words:

“Memento homo, quia pulvis es, et in puverim reverteris.”

(“Remember man, that thou art dust, and unto dust thou shalt return.”)

If you would like to attend a traditional Mass for the feast, find a Traditional Latin Mass near you (click here to explore).

Give up meat for Lent or plan a fast

In the modern Catholic world, there are many, many options for honoring the Lenten fast.

Only a few short decades ago (pre-1962), every single day of Lent was a fasting day and every single Friday of the year was an abstinence from meat day. Now, of course, we are down to one fast per on Ash Wednesday, one on Good Friday, and no meat on Fridays during Lent.

As one priest said to me—I’m paraphrasing— “There is no ‘have-to’ when it comes to the more demanding traditional practices. But we go above and beyond for the people we love all the time out of love and devotion, and we can do the same for our Lord.”

So, when planning your fasting for Lent, consider this wisdom, and ask, what more can I do for my True Love?

Here’s an über-simple fasting program that lines up with the current fasting requirements of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and that can be used year-round, whether it’s optional fasting or required fasting on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday in Lent:

Breakfast: [option 1] one egg and a piece of toast; [option 2] a small bowl of oatmeal or cereal
Lunch: [option 1] a small cup of vegetable soup and some crackers and cheese; [option 2] 1/2 of a sandwich; [option 3] a small salad with handful of nuts
Dinner: a slightly smaller-than-usual dinner (with meat on Ember Wednesday and Saturday and without meat on Ember Friday)

One final rule (and I’m guessing this is where most of us end up “fasting” with quotes, rather than fasting without quotes): NO SNACKS.

Pray, fast, abstain, and give alms

As one priest said, “There is no ‘have-to’ when it comes to the more demanding traditional practices. But we go above and beyond for the people we love all the time out of love and devotion, and we can do the same for our Lord.”

So, when planning your prayer, fasting, and almsgiving for Lent, consider this wisdom, and ask, what more can I do for my True Love?

Prayer

Lent is an excellent time to double-down on your prayer. Picking a single discrete prayer per day is a good approach. Try the Rosary daily if you’re having trouble thinking of something.

Fasting

In the modern Catholic world, there are many, many options for honoring the Lenten fast.

Breakfast: [option 1] one egg and a piece of toast; [option 2] a small bowl of oatmeal or cereal
Lunch: [option 1] a small cup of vegetable soup and some crackers and cheese; [option 2] 1/2 of a sandwich; [option 3] a small salad with handful of nuts
Dinner: a slightly smaller-than-usual dinner (with meat on Ember Wednesday and Saturday and without meat on Ember Friday)

One final rule (and I’m guessing this is where most of us end up “fasting” with quotes, rather than fasting without quotes): NO SNACKS.

Abstinence

While every Friday of Lent is a required day of abstinence from meat, we can take on additional forms of abstinence such as abstinence from material pleasures or even from bad habits. Many Catholics “give up” pleasures like chocolate, alcohol, video games, or podcasts.

Spend some time in discernment, and determine what form of abstinence is best suited to you in your station in life.

Almsgiving

From the USCCB:

“The foundational call of Christians to charity is a frequent theme of the Gospels. During Lent, we are asked to focus more intently on ‘almsgiving,’ which means donating money or goods to the poor and performing other acts of charity. As one of the three pillars of Lenten practice, almsgiving is ‘a witness to fraternal charity’ and ‘a work of justice pleasing to God.’ (Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 2462).”

Depending on your station in life, picking an act of charity that is ever-present (such as kindness to a co-worker, or charity to your spouse) could be a good and accessible option.

Do spiritual reading

Maria von Trapp, the Catholic author, mother, and subject of the movie “The Sound of Music” suggests adopting a reading program during Lent: one book for the mind, one for the soul, and one for the heart.

Read á Kempis’ Meditation on Death

Very soon the end of your life will be at hand: consider, therefore, the state of your soul. Today a man is here; tomorrow he is gone.(I Machabees 2:63) And when he is out of sight, he is soon out of mind. Oh, how dull and hard is the heart of man, which thinks only of the present, and does not provide against the future! You should order your every deed and thought, as though today were the day of your death. Had you a good conscience, death would hold no terrors for you; (Luke 12:37) even so, it were better to avoid sin than to escape death. (Wisdom 4:16) If you are not ready to die today, will tomorrow find you better prepared? (Matthew 24:44) Tomorrow is uncertain; and how can you be sure of tomorrow? Of what use is a long life, if we amend so little? Alas, a long life often adds to our sins rather than to our virtue!

Would to God that we might spend a single day really well! Many recount the years since their conversion, but their lives show little sign of improvement. If it is dreadful to die, it is perhaps more dangerous to live long. Blessed is the man who keeps the hour of his death always in mind, and daily prepares himself to die. If you have ever seen anyone die, remember that you, too, must travel the same road. (Hebrews 9:27)

Each morning remember that you may not live until evening; and in the evening, do not presume to promise yourself another day. Be ready at all times, (Luke 21:36) and so live that death may never find you unprepared. Many die suddenly and unexpectedly; for at an hour that we do not know the Son of Man will come. (Matthew 24:44) When your last hour strikes, you will begin to think very differently of your past life, and grieve deeply that you have been so careless and remiss.

Happy and wise is he who endeavours to be during his life as he wishes to be found at his death. For these things will afford us sure hope of a happy death; perfect contempt of the world; fervent desire to grow in holiness; love of discipline; the practice of penance; ready obedience; self-denial; the bearing of every trial for the love of Christ. While you enjoy health, you can do much good; but when sickness comes, little can be done. Few are made better by sickness, and those who make frequent pilgrimages seldom acquire holiness by so doing.

Do not rely on friends and neighbours, and do not delay the salvation of your soul to some future date, for men will forget you sooner than you think. It is better to make timely provision and to acquire merit in this life, than to depend on the help of others. And if you have no care for your own soul, who will have care for you in time to come? The present time is most precious; now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation. (2 Corinthians 6:2) It is sad that you do not employ your time better, when you may win eternal life hereafter. The time will come when you will long for one day or one hour in which to amend; and who knows whether it will be granted?

Dear soul, from what peril and fear you could free yourself, if you lived in holy fear, mindful of your death. Apply yourself so to live now, that at the hour of death, you may be glad and unafraid. Learn now to die to the world, that you may begin to live with Christ. (Romans 6:8) Learn now to despise ail earthly things, that you may go freely to Christ. Discipline your body now by penance, that you may enjoy a sure hope of salvation.

Foolish man, how can you promise yourself a long life, when you are not certain of a single day? (Luke 12:20) How many have deceived themselves in this way, and been snatched unexpectedly from life! You have often heard how this man was slain by the sword; another drowned; how another fell from a high place and broke his neck; how another died at table how another met his end in play. One perishes by fire, another by the sword, another from disease, another at the hands of robbers. Death is the end of all men (Ecclesiasticus 7:2) and the life of man passes away suddenly as a shadow. (Psalm 38:7; 143:4)

Who will remember you when you are dead? Who will pray for you? Act now, dear soul; do all you can; for you know neither the hour of your death, nor your state after death. While you have time, gather the riches of everlasting life. (Luke 12:33; Galatians 6:8) Think only of your salvation, and care only for the things of God. Make friends now, by honouring the Saints of God and by following their example, that when this life is over, they may welcome you to your eternal home.(Luke 16:9)

Keep yourself a stranger and pilgrim upon earth, (I Peter 2:11), to whom the affairs of this world are of no concern. Keep your heart free and lifted up to God, for here you have no abiding city.(Hebrews13:14) Daily direct your prayers and longings to Heaven, that at your death your soul may merit to pass joyfully into the presence of God.