Three Sacrifices of Lent: Prayer, Fasting, and Charity

 

Lent invites us into a season of sacrifice, but not the kind the world imagines. This isn’t about punishment or pointless deprivation — it’s about offering something beautiful to God. When we willingly sacrifice during Lent, we’re choosing to give a gift of love — not because God demands it, but because love always wants to give.

At the heart of Lent are three traditional sacrifices: prayer, fasting, and charity. Each one draws us deeper into relationship — with God, with ourselves, and with others. Let’s walk through what each sacrifice means, and why they’re not burdens, but invitations.

1. Prayer: A Gift of Time and Attention

When we give more time to prayer during Lent, we’re making a sacrifice of attention. In a world that constantly pulls our focus in every direction, choosing to pause and sit with God is a profound gift. We’re not just asking for things or checking a box — we’re offering our presence, our questions, our silence, our hearts.

Prayer during Lent doesn’t have to mean hours on your knees. It can be:

• A few minutes of silence in the morning before the day begins
• Praying with Scripture (Lectio Divina)
• Adding a daily Rosary or Divine Mercy Chaplet
• Honest conversation with God about where you are right now

Whatever form your prayer takes, the point is this: you’re giving God your attention because you love Him. That alone is a beautiful sacrifice.

2. Fasting: A Gift of Discipline and Desire

Fasting is one of the most misunderstood sacrifices. It’s not about hating your body or proving how strong you are — it’s about freeing your desires. When we fast, we practice letting go of immediate comfort so that our deeper hunger — for God, for meaning, for love — has space to rise.

Traditional fasting focuses on food, but you can also fast from:

• Social media
• Unnecessary spending
• Complaining
• Excessive screen time

Whatever you fast from, the heart of this sacrifice is offering God your desires, your willingness to wait, and your trust that He alone satisfies. It’s a gift that says: I want You more than this comfort.

3. Charity: A Gift of Compassion and Solidarity

Charity is sacrifice in action. It’s giving not just from abundance, but from a place that costs something — time, energy, attention, or resources. When we give to others, we are offering God our willingness to see His image in every person we meet.

Lenten charity might look like:

• Donating to a cause you care about
• Volunteering time you’d rather keep for yourself
• Writing letters to those who are isolated
• Practicing extraordinary kindness in daily life

This sacrifice is a reminder that love is never meant to stay locked inside us. It flows outward, and every act of charity becomes a gift placed directly into God’s hands.

Sacrifice is Love, Not Loss

If you remember nothing else about these Lenten sacrifices, remember this: they are not tests to pass or hoops to jump through. They are invitations into love that gives freely. When you pray, fast, and give, you’re not losing something — you’re offering your heart. And that is a gift God treasures more than you know.

When Prayer Feels Impossible: How to Find Your Way Back to God (Even if You’re Mad at Him)

 

There are times in every faith journey when prayer feels impossible. Maybe you’re too exhausted to form words. Maybe you’re angry at God and not sure you even want to talk to Him. Maybe you’ve been so disconnected for so long that you feel embarrassed to show up now.

If any of that sounds familiar, you’re not broken—you’re human. And you’re not alone. Every single saint, every single mystic, and every single ordinary believer has faced this. Spiritual dryness, anger, grief, exhaustion—none of it disqualifies you from God’s love. In fact, these very struggles are often the doorway into deeper, more honest prayer.

Start With the Smallest Step

The enemy of prayer is perfectionism. You don’t have to show up with beautiful words, deep insights, or even a clear head. Start with a sigh. A glance. A single sentence: God, I’m here, and I don’t know what to say. That counts. God Himself says, "I stand at the door and knock." Simply opening the door is enough.

Name the Block Out Loud

Sometimes the thing that stops us from praying is something we’re afraid to admit. Maybe you’re furious that a prayer went unanswered. Maybe you’re ashamed of something you’ve done. Maybe you just feel numb. Whatever it is, name it. Say it out loud, even if all you can manage is a whisper. God already knows, but naming it helps you break the silence—and science backs this up. Studies show that naming your emotions out loud activates the prefrontal cortex, the part of your brain responsible for processing and regulating feelings. When you name what you’re feeling, you actually begin to regain control over it. Naming turns something overwhelming into something you can work with—and that’s a powerful first step toward prayer.

Use Other People’s Words

If your own words won’t come, borrow someone else’s. Pray the Psalms, which are full of messy, honest prayers—some of them angry, some of them broken-hearted, some full of praise and trust. Use a simple prayer like, Jesus, have mercy on me. You don’t have to invent prayer from scratch every time. Many parishes will even offer you a free booklet of prayers if you ask—something you can tuck in your bag or bedside table for those wordless days.

Find God Somewhere Other Than Words

Prayer isn’t always verbal. Sometimes you can find God in silence, music, nature, or art. Sit outside and watch the sky shift. Listen to a piece of music that stirs your heart. Light a candle and just be still. God is present in all of it.

Remember Who You’re Talking To

If you’ve grown up thinking God is a distant judge, prayer can feel like standing trial. But that’s not the God Jesus reveals. Jesus shows us a God who runs to meet prodigals, who welcomes the broken-hearted, who never tires of hearing our voices. You’re not performing for Him—you’re being held by Him.

Accept That Prayer Will Feel Different in Different Seasons

Prayer in grief isn’t like prayer in joy. Prayer in depression isn’t like prayer in peace. That’s okay. There’s no one right way to pray. The only mistake is thinking you have to get it right.

Trust That God Wants You Back

However long it’s been, however messy you feel, the door is always open. You don’t have to earn your way back into prayer. You just have to turn toward Him—even a little—and He’ll come running.

You were never meant to be perfect at prayer. You were meant to love and be loved.

Why Catholics Need Popes (Even When Some of Them Were a Hot Mess)

 

For Catholics, the pope isn’t just a religious figure—he’s a symbol of unity, a successor to St. Peter, and a spiritual anchor for the whole Church. But let’s be honest: history hasn’t exactly handed us a spotless lineup of saintly popes. Some were profoundly holy; others were… well, let’s just say they made headlines for all the wrong reasons.

So why does the Church even need a pope? And how do we reconcile the need for papal authority with the reality of deeply flawed men sometimes occupying the chair of St. Peter?

It Starts With Scripture

The concept of a pope isn’t some later invention—it’s rooted directly in the words of Christ. In Matthew 16:18-19, Jesus says to Peter:

"You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."

That’s a transfer of authority—not just to Peter as a man, but to the office Peter holds. This is why Catholics see the pope not as a king or a celebrity priest, but as the keeper of the keys, entrusted with guarding and passing on the faith.

This authority is further confirmed in John 21:15-17, when Jesus tells Peter:

"Feed my lambs… Tend my sheep… Feed my sheep."

Peter is given the responsibility of shepherding the entire flock—which is why every pope after him takes on that same role.

Unity Requires a Visible Anchor

If you’ve ever seen what happens in churches without a central authority, you know why this matters. Human beings love to split hairs, and pretty soon, those hairs turn into full-blown divisions. The pope exists as a visible point of unity, the one who can say, “This is what the Church teaches, and this is not.”

That doesn’t mean every personal opinion a pope has is infallible (more on that in a second). But it does mean that when the pope teaches officially on faith and morals, he has the protection of the Holy Spirit to keep the Church from falling into error.

What About the Bad Popes?

Here’s where things get messy—because history doesn’t lie. There have been some truly awful popes:

• Pope Alexander VI (famous for his lavish corruption and scandalous personal life)
• Pope Benedict IX (literally sold the papacy—twice)
• Pope Stephen VI (held a posthumous trial for his predecessor, exhuming the corpse to stand trial)

The Church doesn’t deny these stories—but here’s the key: a pope’s personal sins don’t undo the authority of the office itself. The pope is the successor of Peter not because he’s the holiest man alive, but because the office exists to serve the Church, regardless of who temporarily holds it.

And the Good Popes?

For every corrupt pope, there are many who lived lives of extraordinary holiness and service:

• Pope Gregory the Great (reformed Church governance, championed the poor)
• Pope Leo the Great (defended the faith against heresy and literally stared down Attila the Hun)
• Pope John Paul II (helped topple communism, championed human dignity, inspired generations of young Catholics)

The Office Is Bigger Than the Man

At the end of the day, Catholics don’t believe the pope is sinless—they believe that the Holy Spirit protects the office itself from officially teaching error on faith and morals. That’s infallibility in a nutshell: not a guarantee that the pope is always wise, kind, or good, but a divine safeguard that ensures the Church stays anchored to truth.

TL;DR: Catholics need a pope because Christ established the role to guard the faith and unify the Church. Some popes lived that calling heroically; others spectacularly failed. But the office itself—the rock Christ promised—stands firm.

Because the Church isn’t built on Peter’s perfection. It’s built on God’s promise.

When You Feel Like a Bad Catholic (Spoiler: You’re Not Alone)

Some days, being Catholic feels beautiful and rich—like you’re standing inside a great cathedral, bathed in light. Other days? It feels like you’re stuck outside the church door, nose pressed to the glass, wondering if you even belong.

If you’ve ever felt like a bad Catholic, you’re not alone. In fact, you’re in excellent company. Many of the saints themselves spent seasons feeling unworthy, distant, or lost. St. Thérèse of Lisieux struggled with crushing doubts and spiritual dryness, feeling at times like her prayers were hitting a wall. St. Teresa of Calcutta—Mother Teresa—famously endured decades of feeling abandoned by God. The good news? Feeling like a bad Catholic doesn’t make you one.

Where Does This Feeling Come From?

There are so many reasons you might feel like a spiritual failure:

• You struggle to make it to Mass consistently.
• Prayer feels dry, distant, or awkward.
• You’re haunted by past sins you’ve already confessed.
• You have doubts or questions you’re afraid to say out loud.
• You compare yourself to other Catholics who seem more devout, more knowledgeable, or more holy.

The Truth: There’s No Such Thing as a Perfect Catholic

The Church isn’t a trophy case for the perfect; it’s a hospital for sinners. Every single person in the pews—including the ones who look like they have it all together—is carrying struggles, doubts, and wounds. Holiness isn’t about flawless performance—it’s about faithful persistence.

What to Do When You Feel Like a Bad Catholic

• Name It: Say it out loud or write it down—what’s making you feel this way? Naming the struggle deflates its power.
• Bring It to God: Prayer doesn’t have to be fancy. Tell God honestly, "I feel like I’m failing. Help me see what You see." Honesty is its own kind of prayer.
• Talk to Someone: Whether it’s a trusted priest, a spiritual mentor, or a fellow Catholic friend, sharing your struggles brings them into the light—and light breaks shame.
• Reconnect to the Basics: Sometimes, we get so tangled in expectations that we forget the heart of the faith. Return to simple, grounding practices: the Sign of the Cross, an Our Father, sitting quietly before God.
• Remember the Saints Were a Hot Mess Too: Peter denied Christ. Thomas doubted. Augustine ran from God for years. Their imperfections didn’t disqualify them—they opened them to grace.

These seasons of dryness, doubt, and distance are not detours—they’re part of the journey. In fact, many saints found that their deepest spiritual treasures were uncovered in the middle of those dry spells.

St. John of the Cross wrote The Dark Night of the Soul, a profound reflection on how God works in our lives even when we can’t feel His presence. St. Teresa of Calcutta came to understand that her decades of spiritual emptiness were a way of sharing in Christ’s thirst on the cross. Even modern-day Catholics who share their stories often say that spiritual dryness taught them humility, patience, and how to seek God for who He is—not just for the feelings He gives.

If you are in a dry season right now, you are in good company—and God is still working, even if you can’t see it yet.

God Doesn’t Want Perfect Catholics—He Wants Real Ones

At the end of the day, God isn’t measuring your worth by your spiritual résumé. He’s looking at your heart—and He wants a real relationship with you, not a perfect performance from you.

If you feel like a bad Catholic today, take heart: God isn’t discouraged by your struggles. He meets you there. And the fact that you care at all? That’s proof you belong.

Lent: Its Origins, Meaning, and Purpose

My family are prospective converts, and this year marks our first full Lent season. We experienced the tail end of Lent last year, but we weren’t prepared—and that left us with a lot of questions. As we started learning, we realized that even lifelong Catholics sometimes struggle to understand the deeper meaning of Lent.

For many Catholics, Lent arrives like a familiar visitor—forty days of fasting, prayer, and almsgiving. But how much do we really know about why we observe Lent, where it came from, and what the Church hopes we discover during this season? Let’s dig deep into the roots of Lent, tracing its origins and uncovering the heart behind the tradition.

Where Did Lent Come From?

Lent’s origins reach back to the very beginnings of the Church. In the earliest centuries, Christians observed a period of fasting and preparation before Easter. This practice was closely tied to catechumens—new converts preparing for baptism—and to penitents seeking reconciliation with the Church.

By the fourth century, the Church had formalized a forty-day period of fasting, mirroring the forty days Christ spent fasting in the desert (Matthew 4:1-11). This connection to Jesus’ time of trial emphasizes that Lent is not just about self-denial—it’s about joining Jesus in His journey toward the Cross.

What Is Lent, Really?

At its core, Lent is a season of conversion—a time to turn our hearts back toward God in a deeper and more intentional way. Through fasting, prayer, and almsgiving, we clear away distractions, allowing God to work more fully within us.

• Fasting reminds us that our physical desires do not rule us.
• Prayer deepens our relationship with God.
• Almsgiving redirects our focus from ourselves to others, especially those in need.

Lent is not a spiritual fitness challenge where we prove our strength—it’s a season where we let God reshape us, body and soul.

Why Forty Days?

The number forty is deeply symbolic in Scripture:

• Noah endured forty days of rain before the floodwaters receded (Genesis 7:12).
• Moses spent forty days on Mount Sinai receiving the Law (Exodus 24:18).
• The Israelites wandered for forty years in the desert (Numbers 14:33-34).
• Jesus fasted for forty days before beginning His public ministry (Matthew 4:2).

In each case, the number forty marks a period of transformation—a time when God prepares His people for something new. Lent is our forty-day journey of spiritual transformation, leading us to the new life of Easter.

More Than Rules: The Heart of Lent

It’s easy to think of Lent as a checklist: No meat on Fridays. Give something up. Add a little extra prayer time. But the real purpose of Lent is to open our hearts to God in a way that changes us. It’s less about perfection and more about presence—learning to recognize God’s voice and respond with love.

The traditional pillars of Lent (prayer, fasting, and almsgiving) are meant to help us clear away the noise, not just to “follow rules.” If we fast from sweets but feed our hearts with bitterness, we’ve missed the point. If we pray more but refuse to listen, we’ve only filled silence with noise.

Lent as Invitation

Ultimately, Lent is an invitation—a call to step away from the ordinary and enter into the extraordinary work God wants to do in us. It’s a season to remember that God’s love is the foundation of our lives, and that everything we do flows from that love.

Lent isn’t just about what we give up; it’s about what we make room for.

Here are a few devotional points to consider this Lent. If you'd like, you can focus on one of these questions each week in Lent:

• What areas of my life have become too noisy for me to hear God’s voice?
• Is my fasting drawing me closer to God, or just making me cranky?
• When I pray, do I pause to listen—or am I filling the silence with my own words?
• How can I practice generosity in a way that reflects God’s mercy to me?
• What do I want to carry with me from this Lent into the rest of the year?

Final Thought

Whether you’ve observed Lent faithfully for years or you’re coming back to it after a long absence, this season is a gift. It’s not about getting everything right—it’s about showing up and letting God meet you where you are.

This Lent, may we all discover that the heart of Lent is not punishment—it’s love.

Saint John Bosco: A Saint For Right Now

 

Holiness, Hustle, and Loving the World Around You

Saints aren’t just ancient history. New modern Saints are constantly entering the canon of recognition, and millions more have passed to Heaven unrecognized. This is a story about one more recent Saint who left his mark on society around him: John Bosco.

Saint John Bosco lived in a loud, messy, modern world — and he shows us that holiness isn’t about escaping life. It’s about showing up for it.

What Makes Him Modern?

Bosco didn’t retreat — he leaned into the chaos.

In the times he lived, not so very long ago, homeless children, particularly young men were left on the streets, offered very little hope of anything other than a life of crime and early death.

For Bosco, it was unacceptable to witness this suffering and do nothing. He taught poor kids useful trades. He fed them when they were hungry. He loved them first — and preached second. Over time of faithful care for these young men, he witnessed miraculous rescues and changed lives. The impact of the simple acts of his love.

In a performance-obsessed world, John Bosco shows us that showing up is itself a kind of holiness.

What We Learn from Him Today

You don’t need a monastery or a microphone to be holy.

Holiness lives in:

• Showing up for your neighbor
• Teaching a skill to someone who needs it
• Believing in someone no one else sees

That’s how John Bosco lived. And that’s holiness we all can reach.

Saint John Bosco, pray for us — and teach us to love the world like you did.

Welcome to Converting to Hope: A Gentle Invitation to Taste and See

 

Who We Are and Why This Blog Exists

Welcome to Converting to Hope, a blog born from a very real, very personal journey—one my husband, my son, and I are walking together right now. As I write this, we are in OCIA classes, preparing to receive Confirmation this Easter. Every week, we sit with our classmates, ask our questions, wrestle with what we’re learning, and discover new depths to our faith. And as we walk this path, we realized something important: this journey isn’t just about converting to Catholicism—it’s about converting to hope itself.

For us, and for so many others, faith isn’t a single moment of conversion. It’s an ongoing process of discovering that God is better than we dared hope—more merciful, more present, more loving. That’s the spirit behind this blog. Whether you’re exploring Catholicism for the first time, returning after years away, or simply curious, this is your invitation to taste and see.

What You’ll Find Here

1. Honest Reflections from Real Converts

This blog isn’t written by lifelong Catholics who have it all figured out. It’s written by people who came to the Church with questions, doubts, and a longing for something deeper. You’ll find personal stories, honest struggles, and the kind of reflections that only come from standing at the threshold and choosing to step inside.

2. Clear Explanations for Curious Hearts

If you’re anything like us, you probably have a long list of questions: Why do Catholics honor Mary? What actually happens at Mass? What’s the deal with confession? We’ll break down these topics in ways that are theologically sound but gently explained, always with room for real human wonder and curiosity.

3. Scripture and Tradition Together

One of the most beautiful things we’ve discovered in OCIA is how deeply Scripture and Tradition are woven together in the Catholic Church. The Bible isn’t just a historical document or a standalone manual—it lives and breathes inside the life of the Church. We’ll explore both Scripture and Tradition here, showing how they illuminate each other.

4. Encouragement for the Wounded and Weary

Faith is meant to be a place of refuge, but for many of us, it hasn’t always felt that way. If you’ve been hurt by religious people, disappointed by unanswered prayers, or simply worn down by life, you’re not alone. We’re building this blog to be a gentle, welcoming space, where hope is rekindled one small spark at a time.

Why "Converting to Hope"?

When we first started OCIA, we thought this process would be about learning rules and doctrines. And sure, there’s some of that. But what we’ve really found is hope—hope in God’s mercy, hope in the Church’s wisdom, hope in the sheer goodness of being invited to the table. That’s what we want to offer you here—not arguments or pressure, but an invitation to hope.

What This Blog Offers

This blog is designed to help anyone searching for:

• What is OCIA?
• How to convert to Catholicism
• What do Catholics believe about Mary?
• What happens at Confirmation?
• Catholicism for beginners
• Stories from Catholic converts
• Understanding Catholic tradition and scripture
• Faith after doubt
• Healing from spiritual wounds

If you’ve ever typed one of those into Google, this blog is for you.

What We’ve Learned So Far

Here are a few truths this process has already taught us—truths that shape everything we write here:

• Catholicism is deeply biblical. Everything from the Mass to Marian devotion is woven through with Scripture.
• The Church makes space for questions. We didn’t have to fake certainty to belong. We could ask, wrestle, and grow.
• Tradition isn’t a burden—it’s a gift. Far from being outdated rules, Tradition holds the wisdom of centuries, grounding us when personal faith feels shaky.
• Community matters. We are not meant to do this alone. OCIA introduced us to fellow seekers, each with their own story, and that community has become a lifeline.

Our Promise to You

We don’t claim to have all the answers—but we promise to share what we learn honestly, humbly, and with hope. We promise to write with the same spirit we’ve experienced in the best moments of OCIA—a spirit of welcome, curiosity, and trust that God is already at work in your life, whether you see it yet or not.

Taste and See

Psalm 34:8 says, "Taste and see that the Lord is good." That’s the heart of this blog—an open invitation to taste the beauty of Catholic faith and see what hope feels like when it has roots. Whether you’re thinking about conversion, just exploring, or returning after time away, you are welcome here.

Let’s Walk This Road Together

Wherever you are on your spiritual journey, you belong here. Whether you’re certain, curious, or hesitant, this space was created with you in mind. Welcome to Converting to Hope—a place to ask, learn, wonder, and rest in the quiet confidence that hope has a home here.