Yesterday was Ash Wednesday, marking the beginning of the season of Lent. Lent is the time in which Catholics repent, reflect, and prepare for the resurrection of Jesus. It is a tradition where each person offers a promise to God for the entirety of 40 days. These promises often include, giving up something that is cherished, or engaging in a new activity that brings you closer to God.
It is most common that people make their promises revolving around food. Some sacrifice their favorite meal, while others give up their favorite restaurant. Amongst kids and teenagers, sweets are the perfect candidate. Sweets aren’t necessary, therefore desireable. Many find that sweets are a great choice because of its difficulty to give up.
“I am giving up all sweets for Lent, because I love them and I think it will be a true challenge,” junior Mallory Pitkin said.
As the world continues to evolve, beverages evolve along with it. There are now new types of soda, energy drinks, and even coffee. A popular thing to give up during lent is specialty drinks. Excluding water and other healthy alternatives, many will give up all drinks that are extra to their lifestyle. For highschoolers, popular chains like Starbucks and 7Brew are visited very frequently. Giving up drinks from these places is a great way to spend Lent.
“I get 7 Brew at least once a week, so I decided to give it up this year,” junior Ava Howe said.
As opposed to giving up a type of food or drink, some look towards the idea of giving up a bad habit. There are tons of them whether it’s biting your nails, twisting your hair, or even picking your skin. The ending of a bad habit is a great promise, due to the difficulty of overcoming it. This is a great way to show dedication to both the Church and God.
Many find that adding an activity revolving around the church is the best way to live out this Catholic tradition. Some choose to devote time to read the Bible every day of the season. Along with reading, many annotate their books to highlight and write down things that stood out to them. This is a beautiful activity because it allows you to deepen your understanding of faith and strengthen your relationship with God.
“For Lent, I am going to read a passage from the Bible every single night. I am excited because I will get to learn more about my faith,” junior Meagan Davies said.
Practicing the rosary and attending mass more frequently, are also popular activities that people pick up during Lent. There are many Christians who don’t attend mass every week, so the Lenten season is a perfect opportunity to fulfill their Christian duties and spend time with God during mass.
The season of Lent has arrived, and so has the tradition of giving up something or participating in a new activity. While they might be a challenge, these promises are a great way to show devotion to God and prepare us for the resurrection of Jesus
