“Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.” 1 Peter 5:6

Lent, a religious time in the liturgical calendar, is when Catholics observe their past mistakes and seek out forgiveness.

Lent is a 40 day period that starts on Ash Wednesday and goes all the way up to Jesus’ Resurrection on Easter Sunday. During this time, many Catholics choose to give up something, but some choose to do something extra for others around them.

This time is also meant for Christians to strive to be more like Christ and see the goodness in every person around them. We are called to be present and to grow closer to God and our family and friends.

During this season of Lent, the Junior class made a list of 40 different people to pray for each day as we get closer to the Resurrection for their religion class. Many other classes are incorporating Lent into their curriculum as well.

In Mrs. Oliver’s Spanish IV classes, students delve into the Lenten spirit by sharing what they plan on giving up for the 40 days or if they plan on doing something extra each day.

“It was nice to see everyone else’s plans and ideas on what to give up or do something extra for the season. A lot of people had some very good ideas for what they wanted to give up or do instead. Some ideas were to listen to more Christian music, donate clothes, exercise more, writing kind letters to people, spending less time on their phones and several others,” senior Evie Wurzelbacher said.

During this season, people focus on the three pillars of Lent: Almsgiving, fasting, and prayer.

Almsgiving is all about putting someone else’s needs above your own and the church challenges us to do just that during this time.

There are only two days in the season in which Catholics are supposed to fast: Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. Those are the official fasting days but Fridays are also days of abstinence. On Fridays, Catholics are told not to eat meat and many churches hold fish fries to help this tradition go through Lent.

Finally, prayer is the most important part of Lent. Catholics are taught to pray daily during this period, to help them increase their relationship with Jesus Christ and God.

16 “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 17 But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18 so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” Matthew 6:16-18

Since Christ gave up his life to save us, we should all strive to give something up in return.