Lent prep: What’s your plan this year?

Some of us are still blissfully thinking about our Valentine’s Day and Mardi Gras fun, but Lent is right around the corner. Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent, falls on February 18 this year.

What is the purpose of Lent? In the Catholic Church, the greatest feasts of the year always come after a season of preparation. This time of “living with less” helps us appreciate and enjoy the feasts when their time comes.

The three pillars of Lent—prayer, fasting, and almsgiving—prepare our hearts for the jubilant celebration of Christ’s Resurrection at Easter.

So although I’m still enjoying Valentine’s Day and Mardi Gras, I’ve started to think about Lent. What’s my plan? How can I prepare now? What will I give up—or add to my life—to help myself grow closer to Jesus?

If you’re looking for some ideas for Lent this year, check out these 7 Catholic programs and devotional books. Let us know your plan for Lent this year in the comments!

Dominican friar and popular Godsplaining podcaster Fr. Patrick Mary Briscoe, OP, is your guide in this daily Lenten devotional. 

Witness brings you face-to-face with the people of the Bible who encountered Christ in his Passion—saints and sinners, friends and enemies, the faithful and the afraid. From the Good Thief to Pontius Pilate, Martha to Barabbas, these figures reveal the depths of the human heart—flawed, fearful, hopeful, and deeply loved.

Each week of Lent, Witness focuses on a key virtue, inviting you into the scripture stories of those present with our Lord.

Hallow will once again launch its Lent prayer challenge, beginning on Ash Wednesday. It’s called Pray40: The Return.  

This year’s theme is the Parable of the Prodigal Son, united with insights from classic Russian novel The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky.

Guides for the challenge include Jonathan Roumie, Mark Wahlberg, Chris Pratt, Mother Olga, Sr. Miriam James Heidland, and Fr. Mike Schmitz.

This Lent, join nearly one million Catholics for this free Lenten video program with Matthew Kelly. 

The theme this year? “Nothing Is Impossible for God”:

Incorruptible bodies. Men spared from the atomic bomb blast. The Miracle of the Sun. Journey with Matthew Kelly through thirty-three epic moments where God stepped into human history.

Sign up here.

This Lent, starting February 18, gather together with Catholics around God’s Word through this program from St. Paul Center. 

Join Shane Owens as he leads the Lenten Bible study alongside John Bergsma, Fr. Dave Pivonka, Megan Hjelmstad, and Emily Stimpson Chapman.

The goal is to encounter Christ, grow in discipleship, and share in studying Scripture through weekly sessions leading up to Easter. 

Intentionally designed to be beautiful, simple, and approachable, Rhythm is a 40-day journey to develop the habit of daily prayer. This book was made for the everyday Catholic desiring to know, love, and serve God better. 

Each day features a challenge, quotes and inspiration from the heart of the Church, questions to probe your heart and mind, and space for you to write and wonder with the Lord.

With smartphone usage and addiction running rampant, Real Life Catholic invites you to put down your phone this Lent to offer prayers and sacrifice to support the renewal of the next generation of Catholics.

Sign up here to fast from your smartphone, join in prayer for young Catholics, and support CORE—a new Confirmation prep experience designed to remind teenagers of their identity in Christ.

To learn more about fasting from social media, check out the timely book Media Fasting: Six Weeks to Recharge in Christ Sister Nancy Michael Usselmann, FSP.

This Lent, offer your prayers and penances each day for a specific person. Then send that person a beautiful postcard to let them know of your prayers for them.

This set includes 40 Postcards (10 of each design) that you can mail or hand out to individual people each day of Lent. This program is a beautiful way to offer prayer, companionship, and meaningful connection.