58 ideas for what to do for Lent this year

What are the three main considerations for the Lenten season for Catholics and some typical responses?

• Pray: form a habit of daily prayer if you haven’t and/or increase prayer time
• Fast: typically giving up an attachment or something taking effort
• Give: almsgiving much as the Rice Bowl, donating to nonprofits serving the poor or other Parish projects

Many people focus on the same things each year, such as what to give up. The Church gives us three areas to focus on, yet many of us focus on only one. Below are 58 ideas on what you can do for Lent this year, especially in the area of drawing our hearts closer to Jesus and developing a consistent and deeper prayer life. Some resources have a cost (e.g., some books) while others are free. There are lots of ways to approach Lent to deepen our knowledge of Christ and His Passion which also provides rich material for meditation in prayer.

Pray the Stations of the Cross

• The Way of the Cross with the Carmelite Saints, compiled and Illustrated by Sister Joseph Marie, CHT (Carmelite Hermit of the Trinity)
• The Way of the Cross:  A Treasury of Stations by Various Authors (13 methods)
• The Way of the Cross for the Holy Souls in Purgatory by Susan Tassone

Pray the Rosary or a Chaplet

• Rosary (especially the Sorrowful Mysteries)
• Seven Sorrows Rosary
• Chaplet of Our Lady of Sorrows

Read a Lenten devotional book or online meditation

• Lent: Reflections 2023 by the Carmelite Sisters of the Most Sacred Heart of Los Angeles
• Lent with Pope Benedict XVI: Meditations for Every Day, compiled by Jeanne Kun
• Remember Your Death: Memento Mori, Lenten Devotional by Theresa Aletheia Noble, FSP
• Father Joseph’s Weekly Lenten Meditations (online)
• The Magnificent Prayers of Saint Bridget of Sweden by Bridget of Sweden
• The Agony of Jesus by St. Padre Pio, OFM (Franciscan Capucin)

Read a book on the Passion of the Christ

• The Passion of Jesus and Its Hidden Meanings by Fr. James Groenings, S.J.  
• A Lenten Journey with Jesus Christ and St. Therese of Lisieux by Fr. John F. Russell, O.Carm.
• A Lenten Journey with Jesus Christ and St. John of the Cross by Rev. George Mangiaracina, OCD
• Lent and Easter:  Wisdom from St. Therese of Lisieux by John Cleary
• Relics from the Crucifixion: Where They Went and How They Got There by J. Charles Wall
• The Cries of Jesus from the Cross: An Anthology by Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen (focuses on the 7 last things Jesus spoke before his death on the cross)
• No Greater Love:  a Biblical Walk Through Christ’s Passion by Edward Sri
• The Hidden Sufferings of Christ: Meditations to Honor the Silent Sufferings of Christ and Intercede for the Dying by Apostolate for the Dying, Cincinnati, OH
• Meditations for Lent by Jacques Bossuet
• The Passion of Christ Through the Eyes of Mary by St. Anselm of Canterbury & others
• The Shroud of Turin:  First Century After Christ  by Giulio Fanti/Pierandrea Malfi
• Aquina’s Lenten Meditations: 40 Days with the Angelic Doctor,  Ed. by Fr. Mozart
• 40 Days at the Foot of the Cross: A Gaze of Love from the Heart of Our Blessed Mother by John Paul Thomas
• On the Passion of Christ According to the Four Evangelists by Thomas A Kempis

Read a fictional book about the Passion

• The Gaze of Jesus by Riccardo Bacchelli (former Nobel Prize Nominee)
• The Spear:  A Novel of the Crucifixion by Louis de Wohl (about the spear of Longinus)

Take an online Scripture study course

• Holy is His Name by Scott Hahn (free Bible Study video series with required registration)
• Lectio Divina by the Carmelite Sisters of Baltimore

Read poetry and view art

• A Hymn to Death on a Cross by Fr. Bonaventure Sauer, OCD 
• Meditations on the Holy Face
• Poetry, Prayer and Transformation by Sr. Carol Sachse, OCD
• Sacred Art Meditations

Pray a litany for Lent

• The Litany of Humility
• The Litany of Trust
•  Litany for Ash Wednesday and Lent
• Litany of the Precious Blood of Jesus Christ (video)
• Litany to Our Lady of Seven Sorrows

Pray a novena for Lent

• 30 Days Novena Prayer to Our Lady for Lent and for Fridays
• Novena to the Holy Spirit for Lent  
• Special 30 Day Novena on the Passion/The Pieta

Find a new Catholic app that turns your phone into a prayer resource

• The Catholic Apptitude website reviews the best phone apps for Lent, including those for prayer, confession, meditation, music and more.
• The Hallow App includes dozens of ways to pray during Lent and year-round.

Attend Mass more often

• Find a Mass time
• 20 ways to get more our of Mass

Go to Confession

• Frequent Confession:  Its Place in the Spiritual Life by Benedict Baur
• Comprehensive Examination of Conscience Based on Twelve Virtues by Rev. Donald F. Miller, C.SS.R
• Examine your conscience each day

Start praying the Divine Office

• Learn how to pray the Divine Office
• Get a Liturgy of the Hours book
• Find a Liturgy of the Hours app

Listen to Holy music

• One-hour of catholic Lenten Hymns (YouTube)
• Gregorian chant for Lent and Holy Week (YouTube)
• Stabat Mater (At the cross her stations keeping)

Take an online retreat

• The Pray More Lenten Retreat
• Free online Carmelite Lenten Retreat: Prayer: Living Our Vocation as God's Children

Watch a movie

• Lenten movies recommended by Catholic Digest
• Top-10 movies for Lent by Christ Our Life (Iowa)
• The Passion of Christ by Mel Gibson

Make a Holy Hour and spend time in Adoration

• Holy Hour reflections from the USCCB
• About the Eucharist and the Real Presence