Tips on how to make a good Lenten promise

I typically do not make a list of resolutions at the start of a new calendar year. Instead, I put together a resolution to prepare myself for Easter in the form of a Lenten promise. For me, Ash Wednesday is New Year’s Day in that regard. 

When I was in primary school, I gave up chewing gum for Lent. While I have now experienced over three decades of Lents, I remember this early childhood example because I can count the number of times I successfully gave something up for Lent on just one hand! 

Through trial and error, I realized that addition rather than retraction is more impactful for me, which likely explains my much higher success rate with Lenten promises of the latter nature. I try to choose an activity that I have been meaning to partake in more regularly or have wanted to try but haven’t yet been able to commit to. 

The purpose of a Lenten promise

One year during Lent, I wrote a page a day in my journal. (Writing can be very therapeutic.) Another Lent, I attended weekday Mass, and still another I prayed the Rosary every day. Although it may not have been my initial intention, I have continued many of these Lenten promises beyond Easter, and some became permanent additions to my routine, even years later.

More recently, I have been able to give up something for Lent and carry it through. A few Lents ago, my husband and I decided to make a family Lenten promise to hold us accountable by participating together. Despite my poor track record, we chose to give something up by going meatless for the duration of Lent. Choosing and preparing meals (many new) offered us quality time together and exposed us to dishes we may not have ordinarily tried. Consciously altering our diet during Lent served as a concrete reminder that we were in the midst of a special season, which has motivated us to make meatless Lents a new family tradition.

A Lenten promise does not have to be extravagant. In contrast, it should be manageable and feasible. Perhaps most importantly, it should be meaningful for us. In this way, the promise can help us move forward (regardless of how small or big the step is) in our own spiritual preparations for Easter. Depending on our particular circumstances and season of life, those preparations may involve healing emotional wounds, working on a somewhat neglected relationship with Christ, or truly loving the body that we have been given, to list a few examples. 

When the forty days and nights of Lent draw to a close, the goal is to more fully participate in and acknowledge the joy of Easter: the hope of eternity. 

When the forty days and nights of Lent draw to a close, the goal is to more fully participate in and acknowledge the joy of Easter: the hope of eternity.

Three questions to ask

I would like to conclude with three reflection points that may be helpful when discerning a Lenten promise that will add meaning to this season and perhaps beyond.

What are your motivations behind choosing this Lenten promise? 

Can you envision yourself continuing with this promise beyond Holy Saturday (perhaps at a different frequency, as appropriate)?

How will this promise prepare you for Easter? 

Sarah is a genetics professor with many interests in addition to studying DNA. She now calls Montreal home. When she is not reading a scientific article or teaching, Sarah can usually be found either writing, walking in nature, or trying out new recipes in the kitchen.