Reflection

Lent – Prayer, Fasting and Almsgiving

We are a few weeks into Lent so it is good to remind ourselves what we can be doing. It is a time to focus on prayer, almsgiving and fasting.

We can commit to make more time for prayer – individually or through opportunities offered at school or parish. We can take more time to read the bible, attend Mass and go to the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

One way of almsgiving is donating to the annual Caritas Australia Project Compassion Appeal. Donations to Project Compassion allows Caritas Australia, the Catholic Agency for International Aid and Development, to work with local communities around the world to end poverty, promote justice and uphold dignity.

This year, the St Vinnies group is again co-ordinating Project Compassion at the College. The theme of Project Compassion 2026 is ‘For All Future Generations’ and reminds us that the good that we do today will extend and impact the lives of generations to come. It invites us to make the world a better place by working together now and finding long-term solutions to global issues.

Fasting can include giving up different types of food or drink, perhaps less screen time or fasting from those things in our lives that hold up back from being the person that God wants us to be. Pope Francis gave us the following tips:

Fasting This Lent

Fast from hurting words and say kind words

Fast from sadness and be filled with gratitude

Fast from pessimism and be filled with hope

Fast from worries and trust in God

Fast from pressure and be prayerful

Fast from bitterness and fill your heart with joy

Fast from selfishness and be compassionate to others

Fast from grudges and be reconciled

Fast from words, be silent, so you can listen

Pope Francis