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Six Days to Lent
“For the Souls in Purgatory – Eternal rest grant unto them O Lord”
How Do I Prepare Myself To Enter Into A Fruitful Lenten Season
Fasting, Prayer, and Almsgiving: A Love Known Only to God
Matthew 6:16-18
“When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.”
Grace Prayed For
The grace of interior conversion—to seek God’s love in the hidden places, to desire His presence more than human approval, and to embrace fasting, prayer, and almsgiving with a heart turned wholly to Him.
Reflection
Lent is a season of hidden grace, a time when the deepest work of God happens not in grand gestures but in the quiet surrender of the heart. Jesus’ words in Matthew’s Gospel remind us that fasting, prayer, and almsgiving are not performances for others to see but intimate acts of love between us and our Father. The world seeks recognition, but God seeks the heart.
Prayer draws us into this secret place where God sees and knows us fully. It is here, in the silence, that we learn to love Him for who He is, not for what He gives. In prayer, we bring our hunger—not only for daily bread but for the One who is the Bread of Life.
Fasting detaches us from the noise of the world and redirects our longing toward God. It is not about deprivation for its own sake but about making space for Him to satisfy us. When we fast, we empty ourselves so that He may fill us. It is an act of trust, a silent offering of love known only to the Father.
Almsgiving is love made visible, but even here, Jesus calls us to humility. Giving is not about recognition or self-satisfaction; it is about seeing Christ in the poor, giving from a heart that desires nothing in return. It is the hidden love that the Father sees, the love that transforms both the giver and the receiver.
Lent is a season of hidden holiness, where grace unfolds in the unseen places of the heart. As we enter into these practices, let us do so not for the world to see, but for the joy of knowing that our Father sees us, loves us, and will reward us—not with earthly praise, but with Himself.
Growing in Intimacy/Union with Jesus
Jesus invites us into the quiet, secret places where He Himself dwells. He does not seek outward displays but hearts that are truly His. When we fast, we unite ourselves with His own self-emptying. When we pray, we step into His communion with the Father. When we give, we love as He loves. In this hiddenness, we come to know Him more deeply, not as a distant God but as the One who sees us, knows us, and desires us completely.
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Sharing
Jesus last words on Earth were to his disciples, can be found in Matthew Chap 28 when Jesus told his disciples, “Then Jesus approached and said to them, “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”
Jesus calls all of us to share in his redemptive mission here on Earth. I would ask you to share this Scripture reflection with your family, your friends and your acquaintances, and then share it with a couple of individuals that you may may not be comfortable sharing with, keeping in mind always the words of Jesus, And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age
Author was assisted by AI in the drafting of this Post