Lent 2025

I had a really good Lent this year! It was probably the most reflective and spiritual yet for me. This year I decided to give up music; I deleted Spotify off my phone and computer and refused to listen to any music on YouTube or the radio. Now I couldn’t control whether or not I heard music all the time because both of my campus jobs would play music and I can’t exert my will over others. So on the days when I had accidentally consumed a lot of music (almost every day), I also gave up gum. Which might not seem like that big of a deal, but I chew A LOT of gum–usually at least five pieces a day.

Giving up music would have been a lot harder if I had a car on campus and was driving everyday like I do back home. The times when I missed it the most were when I was doing chores such as cleaning my room and I just wanted something in the background to distract me. I allowed myself to sing songs out loud, but it wasn’t the same. The other times when I would really start itching for Spotify were when I would hear or think about a song that I hadn’t heard in a long time and had forgotten how much I liked it. In those moments I created a list of songs to listen to after Easter.

In the weeks leading up to Lent, I also decided to pray to the Lord and ask Him what He would like me to do. After Confession one day, the priest advised me to try to pray a Holy Hour every day. My first reaction was to think, “Right, sure. Like that’s ever gonna happen. Just smile and nod along.” That very night, though, I was sitting in silence with the Lord, and guess what He pressed upon my heart? The fact that I should also pray a daily Holy Hour during Lent. *sigh* Well, I guess I have to do it now.

Knowing myself, I knew I had to pray first thing in the morning. If I told myself, “It’s okay, I’ll pray this afternoon or evening,” I was never going to actually do it. So every day from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday I woke up early (usually between 6:00am-7:00am) to pray for a full hour. My prayer routine typically looked like this:

• I would read the morning prayer in the Magnificat and the “Saint Who?” section for the day if there was one
• I would read the daily Mass readings and reflection in the Magnificat as well
• Using Bishop Robert Barron’s Daily Lenten Reflections, I would reread the Gospel and complete the journal prompt
• Then I would do one of several things: I might listen to a podcast episode of Fr. Mike Schmitz’s Bible in a Year and read along with my own Bible, or sometimes I would pray in conversation with God about whatever was on my mind that morning, or I would do my own Stations of the Cross readings, or, many times, I just sat in contemplative silence, letting God speak to me in whatever way He wanted

The first few mornings were difficult. There had only been a few times in my life when I’d intentionally prayed for that long. However, I found that the farther into Lent I got, the more I was looking forward to my daily prayers. Instead of feeling tired from waking up early, I often felt refreshed afterward. Starting my morning in reflective prayer and by reading God’s Word prepared me for the rest of the day; it helped grant me more patience, charity, and love of neighbor; I found myself considering my words and actions more carefully. I also believe that it was my Holy Hours that gave me the grace to be so steadfast in my music and gum fasts.

There were days when I become overwhelmed by how many prayer intentions I had on my heart, and I was comforted by the fact that I had set aside a whole hour to bring them before the Lord. Sometimes my phone alarm would go off to signal the end of the hour, and I disappointed that I didn’t have more time.

Throughout Lent, the CCM had all-night Adoration from 8:00pm on Wednesdays into 8:00am on Thursdays. I signed up for the 7:00am-8:00am time slot. And it was powerful. On the last day of all-night Adoration, I felt Jesus’ presence, comfort, mercy, and love so strongly that I was brought to tears. This past month and a half or so, I spent more time in prayer, Adoration, and Mass than I have in my whole life.

Most shockingly, I discovered a truth about myself lost long ago: I am a morning person. Since high school, I’ve been going to bed by midnight if I’m lucky, and I considered anything before 10:00am too early. But with my class and work schedule this semester as well as morning prayers, I realized how much I enjoy getting up when it’s still dark out, and stepping outside into the fresh morning air. I can’t describe my relief at the fact that, for the first time in years, I actually felt tired at night and desired to go to bed at a reasonable time.

This Lent concluded with a very spiritually-moving Triduum for me. I’d never been to a Holy Thursday Mass that I can remember, so it was really neat to witness the washing of the feet. The CCM had the altar of repose in the Savio House next door and it was beautifully decorated with all different types of plants to resemble the Garden of Gethsemane. I felt moved to keep watch in prayer from about 10:00pm-midnight, and I felt Jesus’ agony in the garden very acutely.

The next day, Good Friday, my mom picked me up from school after classes so that I could be home for my sister’s Confirmation at the Easter Vigil on Saturday. Jesus’ death weighed heavily on my heart all day. Whenever I reflected on His Passion this Lent, what most struck me was the stripping of His garments. The fact that He was left completely naked, humiliated and scorned, without even His dignity left, caused me a lot of grief. Whenever we are mocked and stripped of our dignity by this world, may we remember how Jesus never turns His gaze away from us, always looking at us with so much love and tenderness.

We had a lot of family over that weekend for my sister’s Confirmation; it was really great to see everyone and spend time together. The Good Friday Liturgy was very moving, as usual.

This was my first Easter Vigil, and I absolutely loved it! Yes, it was a longer Mass, but it was beautiful. I liked how we started outside with a bonfire, and I really enjoyed the different readings. I was the community representative for my sister alongside her godmother and godfather, and it was so incredible to be with her as she was anointed with the sacred chrism. I would like to start going to the Easter Vigil from now on (and that way I don’t have to get up Sunday morning for Mass).

This was also my first time wearing the veil at Mass! My church is more modern, so I didn’t even know about the veil until my senior year of high school. The idea of humbling myself before God was very appealing, but I didn’t know anyone who veiled and I was intimidated by the thought. (Flash forward to the Mary Washington CCM and there a few girls who regularly veil, which is super awesome to see!) My grandma has started veiling in recent months, and she gave my sister and I one veil each. Hers is blue and mine is a light tan color. I felt a little strange wearing it at first, especially since we were the only ones, but I grew to like it! While I don’t have much hair to cover nowadays, it helped me to focus and keep my mind from wandering.

I am reminded of Queen Esther from the Old Testament and the way she utterly humbles herself and lays prostrate all night to pray to God for help. While I won’t go so far as to dump ashes on my head, I’ve been wearing the veil to daily Mass and occasionally when I pray alone, and I find that I feel closer to the Lord. I like having a physical reminder of my obedience to God’s Will and a physical way to express my praise and worship of Him.

It’s been a little over a week since Easter Sunday, and I still feel a little weird listening to music and chewing gum whenever I want now. It’s easier for me to sit in silence instead of immediately turning to something to fill the void. I’ve also realized that I miss my daily prayers. So I decided to pray a Holy Hour every day this week as a plea for my finals and as a prayer of thanks for the opportunity to continue my higher education. Who knows? Maybe this is something I incorporate into my everyday life beyond Lent.

In summary, this was a much-needed Lenten season that really helped me take a step back and reprioritize my life. I’m so grateful to the CCM, to Fr. Mike and his Bible podcast, to Bishop Robert Barron and his reflections, and to everyone and everything that helped contribute to my spiritual growth this Lent. Above all, I’m unendingly grateful to the Lord who gave me life itself and from Whom all good things come.

May God bless you this Easter season and beyond!