Lent is a season of 40 days or six weeks of solemn and penitential preparation, leading to Easter. Prayer, fasting, and almsgiving are the three major pillars of penitence during Lent. These practices leads us to our sanctification and draws us closer to God.

Prayer is our conversation with God. Although we are encouraged to pray at all times, the season of Lent helps us to give greater importance to prayer, especially, for those who do not pray every day. Prayer helps us connect with God. When our prayer is contemplative and recollected, we grow in virtue and sanctification. There are different levels of prayer. Vocal prayer is the starting point. We pray vocally from either memory or by reading. Vocal prayer is followed by mental prayer, affective prayer, acquired recollection, infused contemplation, prayer of quiet, simple union, conforming union, and transforming union. In the initial stages of prayer, such as vocal prayer, we take the initiative to pray. In the higher levels of prayer, God takes the initiative. Lent helps us to focus on prayer and helps us to progress in our spiritual life. This Lenten season, focus on advancing in your prayer life.

Fasting helps us to discipline ourselves. The deprivation of food or other worldly goods helps us come closer to God, because when we fast, we physically become weak. When we voluntarily deprive ourselves of world things, we express our inadequacy before God, who alone can sustain us. Fasting, along with prayer, helps us to receive graces from God and grow in holiness. If you are unable to fast, due to health reasons, try other types of fasting, such as media fasting.

Almsgiving, along with fasting and prayer, helps us to detach from worldly goods. It helps us to generously give to others, especially, those who are most in need. Generously helping the poor helps us to take part in the act of mercy, charity, and social justice. You cannot possibly help everyone, but you can surely help someone. When you are not sure whom to help, ask God to guide you and He will guide you to help those most in need. This Lenten season, aim to save lives by donating to charities that provide food, clean drinking water, and medication to those most in need.  

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