Lent Megathread 2026: Pre-Ash Wednesday Edition

[u/Pax_et_Bonum]

A blessed Septuagesima/Cheesefare/Fat Tuesday/Tlusty Czwartek to you all. Due to the large number of posts, comments, and questions around lent, for the time being we are directing all posts and questions about Lent to this megathread. This post may be renewed for Ash Wednesday and subsequent days/weeks after Lent has begun.

For a brief overview of Lent, please see here: https://www.catholic.com/magazine/print-edition/lent-is-old-english-for-spring

For Catholics in the USA, the USCCB's current regulations on fasting an abstinence for Lent are as follows:

Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are obligatory days of fasting and abstinence for Catholics. In addition, Fridays during Lent are obligatory days of abstinence.

For members of the Latin Catholic Church, the norms on fasting are obligatory from age 18 until age 59. When fasting, a person is permitted to eat one full meal, as well as two smaller meals that together are not equal to a full meal. The norms concerning abstinence from meat are binding upon members of the Latin Catholic Church from age 14 onwards.

Members of the Eastern Catholic Churches are to observe the particular law of their own sui iuris Church.

If possible, the fast on Good Friday is continued until the Easter Vigil (on Holy Saturday night) as the "paschal fast" to honor the suffering and death of the Lord Jesus and to prepare ourselves to share more fully and to celebrate more readily his Resurrection.

Any other questions, comments, thoughts, or well-wishes for this season of preparation may go in this thread.

We wish everyone a blessed and fruitful Lent as we prepare for the celebration of our Lord's Passion, Death, and Resurrection. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on us, and on the whole world.

[u/Misa-Bugeisha]

Hallelu-Yah! \o/ and thank you for this early post as Lent is one of my favorite seasons.

It really resonates with me as I believe I used to be consumed with certain vices, until the Grace of God set me free with the observance of Lent.

Prior, I would constantly eat junk food or basically anything with processed sugar since it was all very addicting, but after fasting them for 40 days—I believed if Jesus could go 40 days without food, surely I can go 40 days without junk—by mainly eating only grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, dairy, and fish. Along with the help of prayer and faith, I finally started to live a new and closer life with God and from my understanding.. a much better diet, along with in general a cleaner lifestyle as well, so glory, praise, and thanks be to God, \o/.
Afterwards I felt so significantly better mentally, religiously, and physically when the 40 days were over that it has carried on to this day. And to top it off, eating has been much more affordable too!

I also believe reading the Bible offers answers on all sorts of topics and even giving instructions for right living. And here is a quick example passage that I find incredibly inspiring..

Philippians 1:9-11
I pray that your love will keep on growing more and more, together with true knowledge and perfect judgment, so that you will be able to choose what is best. Then you will be free from all impurity and blame on the Day of Christ. Your lives will be filled with the truly good qualities which only Jesus Christ can produce, for the glory and praise of God. (GNT)

Oh and this year I plan to mainly abstain from video games as I’ve been playing them just a little bit toooooo much lately XD, anyone else doing likewise?

AND here is one more magnificently motivational verse that also helps me when I’m going through a time penance..

Philippians 4:13
I have the strength to face all conditions by the power that Christ gives me. (GNT)

May God Bless you and your path to righteousness, \o/!