A recent topic circulating on social platforms has been the catholic 40 days of Lent. Each spring, as winter ends and the days longer, a shift starts to take place inside Catholic churches. On Ash Wednesday (February 18, 2026), people will walk forward to receive ashes on their foreheads in the shape of a cross, marking the beginning of a 40-day journey known as Lent.
Lent lasts until Holy Thursday (April 2, 2026), just before Easter. Although it spans 46 calendar days, Sundays are not counted as days of fasting. Which is why it’s traditionally called a 40-day season. Those 40 days reflect the time Jesus spent fasting and praying in the desert before beginning His public ministry. Lent is meant to be a period of preparation.
It might look like a sophomore turning down a cheeseburger on a Friday. Or a teacher quietly attending daily Mass before school. Or a family deciding to pray together at night instead of watching TV. Lent is built around three main practices: prayer, fasting, and charitable giving. Together, they are meant to help believers refocus, grow spiritually, and strengthen their relationship with God.
There are also specific guidelines the Church asks Catholics to follow.
Ash Wednesday (Feb. 18) and Good Friday (April 3) are mandatory fasting days. Catholics between the ages of 18 and 59 are required to fast on those days, which means eating one full meal and two smaller meals that together don’t equal a second full meal.
Additionally, Catholics aged 14 and older are required to abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday and all Fridays during Lent. That’s why you will often see fish fries advertised at Catholic churches during this season; it’s a tradition that grew out of the practice of self-restraint.
However, Lent isn’t meant to be about hunger or rule-following alone. Fasting isn’t designed as a punishment. Instead, it’s a form of self discipline. By giving up something , whether that’s meat, sweets, soda, or even social media , Catholics try to make space for something deeper. The goal is to purify the soul and become more aware of what truly matters.
Not everyone is required to fast. The Church makes exemptions for those who are pregnant, ill, elderly, or dealing with health conditions. The focus is spiritual growth, not physical harm.
For high school students, especially, Lent can feel different each year. One year, it might mean giving up snacks. Another year, it might mean trying to be kinder, more patient, or more generous. It’s less about perfection and more about intention.
As Easter approaches, Lent slowly shifts from quiet sacrifice to hopeful anticipation. And whether someone fully commits to every practice or simply tries to be a little more thoughtful during the season, Lent remains a meaningful tradition, one that invites millions of people, including students in our own halls, to pause, reflect, and begin again.
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