Pope Benedict XVI said, "Lent stimulates us to let the Word of God penetrate our life and in this way to know the fundamental truth; who we are, where we come from, where we must go, what path we must take in life."

Lent is a forty day period starting on Ash Wednesday and continuing until Easter in the Catholic Church. During this time, we are encouraged to fast, repent, and pray. Why is Lent a forty day period? Well, for forty days Jesus was in the desert being tempted by the devil. "Filled with the holy spirit, Jesus returned from the Jordan and was led by the spirit into the desert for forty days, to be tempted by the devil." Luke 4: 1-3. The forty days of Lent symbolizes these forty days of Jesus' life. Jesus did not live his life for himself, but for us. And he sacrificed his own life for us. During these forty days, we are encouraged to sacrifice earthly things to unite our sufferings with Christ. We make sacrifices that are so simple in relation to the ultimate sacrifice he made for us. In a way, we are humbling ourselves.

Often times, especially in today's culture, the term "Lent" has a generally negative connotation. Yes, it is a time of fasting and refraining from eating meat on Fridays, but it is much more than that. Lent might seem inconvenient, boring, or somber. It's definitely not as "exciting" as Christmas. But without the crucifixion, death, and resurrection of Christ, where would we be?

Lent is... a time of prayer and reflection. Scripture is the perfect place to turn for this upcoming Lenten season. Pick a passage like one of the following (listed below) and reflect on it. How does this apply to your life? What is God trying to tell you in the bible passage?

Luke 15: 11-32
Matthew 6: 16-18
Luke 15: 1-7
Mark 1: 12-15
Mark 9: 1-8

Also, forgiveness. Another wonderful thing to do during Lent is go to confession. Psalm 51 states, "Have mercy on me, God, in your goodness; in your abundant compassion blot out my offense. Wash away all my guilt; from my sin cleanse me." In preparation for Lent, God wants us to recognize our sins and be forgiven. He wants us to strive to be better Christian examples for others. http://masstimes.org is a great resource for finding Mass and Confession times at a church near you.

Lent is... a time of fasting. Now, here comes that "not so fun" part. Think about what Jesus did for you. Pretty amazing, right? Now, you can definitely think of something to give up for forty days as you meditate on the scripture and suffering of Jesus Christ.

My suggestions...
- The Snooze Button - get up right when your alarm goes off! It's hard, but you can do it.
- Social Media - Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook, whatever it is that you are addicted to.
- Texting while with friends, during meals, after 9pm, etc.
- Netflix... yup.
- Hot Showers.
- Your pillow.
- Music in the car, take the time to pray instead!

But, Lent is more than just giving up chocolate. it can also be about adding things to your life that can help form good and holy habits.

My suggestions...
- Read the readings before Mass on Sunday - it will help you prepare.
- Pray before EVERY meal - give thanks to God!
- Volunteer! :)
- Attend Stations of the Cross - these are pretty awesome, and only really happen during Lent.
- Turn your radio station to your local Christian radio station during Lent.
- Make Sunday a day of rest. Enjoy the day doing things you love (crafting, reading, etc). Don't work on homework or chores. Relax!

Lent is... a time of growth. We are just around the corner from another Lenten season. Use this time to remind yourself of the foundations of your faith. Take time to improve your relationship with Jesus. Pray daily. Read a Christian book that will enhance your faith life. Prepare yourself for Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter.

Challenge yourself and think about what you can do for Lent to prepare yourself for the Easter season. Remember what Pope Benedict XVI said...

Who are you?
Where are you going?
Who do you want to be?