One week from now, Catholics around the world will hear the solemn words: “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”
Ash Wednesday is almost here. Lent is at the door. The question is simple: Are you ready?
Lent is not just a season on the Church calendar. It is a 40-day invitation to slow down, repent, refocus, and return to Christ with our whole heart.
If you haven’t thought about it yet, now is the perfect time to prepare.
What Is Lent Really About?
Lent is a sacred journey toward Easter. For 40 days (not counting Sundays), the Church invites us to:
- Turn away from sin
- Grow in prayer
- Practice sacrifice
- Serve others
- Prepare our hearts for the Resurrection
It is not about self-improvement alone. It is about conversion. Lent is a spiritual reset.
What to Expect on Ash Wednesday
On Ash Wednesday, Catholics receive ashes on their foreheads as a visible sign of repentance. The ashes remind us:
- Life is temporary
- Sin is serious
- Mercy is real
- God is calling us back
You may feel a sense of seriousness in the liturgy. The music is simpler. The colors turn purple. The Alleluia disappears. The tone shifts.
This is intentional. Lent begins in humility so that Easter can explode with joy.
How to Prepare This Week
You don’t need a complicated plan. But you do need intention.
Here are five simple steps to prepare your heart before Ash Wednesday:
1. Examine Your Heart
Take 10 quiet minutes this week and ask:
- Where have I grown distant from God?
- What habits are pulling me away from Him?
- What needs healing?
Honesty is the first step toward renewal.
2. Choose Your Lenten Commitments
Lent traditionally focuses on three pillars:
Prayer – Will you add daily Scripture? A Rosary? Adoration?
Fasting – What attachment can you surrender?
Almsgiving – How will you give to someone in need?
Be realistic. Be specific. Be faithful.
3. Plan for Confession
Do not wait until Holy Week. Mark a date now.
A clean soul makes for a powerful Lent.
4. Prepare Your Schedule
Lent will not “just happen.”
Block time for prayer. Protect it.
5. Decide Your “Why”
Don’t just give something up.
Offer it up.
Who are you praying for?
What intention are you carrying?
What change are you seeking?
Many people start Lent strong and fade by week three. Why? Because they focus only on what they are giving up, not on Who they are walking toward.
Lent is about Jesus. It is about standing at the foot of the Cross. It is about preparing your heart for the empty tomb. Do not wait until Ash Wednesday to begin thinking about it.
Spend this week:
- Clearing distractions
- Asking for grace
- Setting your intention
- Reordering your priorities
Lent is a gift. It is 40 days to return to the Lord with your whole heart.
Next Wednesday, when the ashes are placed on your forehead, let them not be just a symbol, but the beginning of real transformation. The season is coming. Are you ready?
