“Nothing great is ever achieved without much enduring” (St. Catherine of Siena).

In an unexpected turn of events, I’m excited about Lent this year.

Weird, right? Lent is somber, full of sacrifice and lament. Why would I look forward to that? Well, this year will be different. This year, I have a plan.

Learning What Lent Is—and Isn’t

I’ve been Catholic for almost 15 years. Growing up as a Protestant, all I knew about Lent was that my best friend and I could not go to Whataburger after class on Fridays. This sacrifice negatively affected me—after a tough week in our college classes, a Whataburger would make it all better. Alas, not on Fridays before Easter.

That was my context for Lent until I regularly attended a Catholic church a decade later. I discovered that Lent is drawing close to Jesus and sitting with Mary at the foot of the cross. If you look up the textbook definition, you’ll find it’s about preparing for Jesus’ resurrection, making room in our hearts and our lives for Christ.

I’ve learned a lot about Lent these past 15 years—what it means and why it’s important, what we as Catholics can and can’t do during this season, how it’s more than not eating cheeseburgers on Fridays, and also why not eating cheeseburgers on Fridays is an integral part.

Each year, it comes up quickly on the calendar. It seems we’ve just taken the Christmas tree down, and Lent is upon us. I'll confess (see what I did there?) that most years, I do not take the time to think about how to have a good Lent. The way it usually goes is that I realize Lent is the next week or even the next day, and we have a family discussion about what we’re giving up, and then that either goes well or it doesn’t. Then, boom! It’s Holy Week. And I’m no better for it.

I cannot think of a Lenten season where I felt I’d grown in my faith and come out better than I was before. Sad, but true.

That’s where this year’s excitement comes in.

A 40-Day Journey

A few weeks ago, I came across an article about Fiat 90, a “90-day prayer journey of self-discipline, reflection, and building community. Designed for any woman of any age who is searching to unite themselves to Christ alongside the Blessed Mother.” As I read through the website, I came across Fiat 40, which is the same type of program but structured for the 40 days of Lent.

 Fiat 40 has three components:

• Prayer: structured prayer time and Scripture reading each day.

• Asceticism: sacrificing things that distract us from God.

• Sorority: Going into the desert with Christ—but not alone.

Fiat 40 will be a challenge spiritually, mentally, and physically. But what easy thing has ever changed our hearts? We weren’t made for easy; we were made to be saints.

"For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather of power and love and self-control" (2 Timothy 1:7).

God has given us what we need; we’re just terrible at using what we’ve been given. (Well, I’m terrible at it, at least.)

In sharing this plan for Lent, my goal is not to boast about the sacrifices I’ll be making or how I am better than people who are doing something else. My goal is to be closer to God at Easter than I am on Ash Wednesday—one step closer to the person Christ died for me to be. And if sharing this plan can encourage one other person to step into Lent with intention, that is a bonus.

I tend toward the complacent. The status quo is so easy, and I like easy. Easy means no conflict. Easy means happy. Easy means safe. But easy doesn’t mean growth. And no saint’s life was ever easy.

So, here I am, Lent 2023. I have a plan. I’m being intentional. And, I’m excited to grow—even if it’s only one step closer to God.

Power, love, and self-discipline are gifts from God to get us through any challenge. What are we waiting for?

Cathi Kennedy is passionate about building relationships. At the University of Notre Dame, she advises graduate students for the Mendoza College of Business. Her background is in marketing and communications, and she recently received her MBA. Impassioned writer, voracious reader, aspiring knitter. Married to a musician and mom to two amazing sons. Cathi is a convert to Catholicism and seeks to learn something new about her faith every day. Connect with Cathi: LinkedIn • Instagram • Facebook • Blog