The first full week of Lent has begun. Ash Wednesday marked the start — now the journey truly deepens. This week, the Church invites us to enter the desert with Jesus: to fast, to pray, and to face what holds us back from God. These 40 days are not about guilt. They are about transformation.
Historical and Theological Context
The first week of Lent has always carried special weight in the Church’s tradition. In the early centuries, it was the most intense period of preparation for catechumens — those preparing to be baptized at Easter. The entire community fasted with them, out of solidarity.
The 40 days mirror Jesus’ 40 days in the desert (Matthew 4:1–11), as well as the 40 years Israel wandered in the wilderness. Both are stories of testing, purification, and trust in God. The first week sets the tone for everything that follows. What we choose to do — or give up — in these first days shapes our entire Lenten journey. This year, Lent 2026 runs from Ash Wednesday, February 18 through Holy Saturday, April 4, with Easter Sunday on April 5.
What the First Week of Lent Means for Catholics Today
The first week is a threshold. You’ve received your ashes. You’ve made your promises. Now the journey of conversion truly begins.
This week is about the three pillars the Church has always placed at the heart of Lent:
- Prayer — returning to God deliberately, not just when we feel like it
- Fasting — choosing discomfort as a spiritual act, freeing us from attachments
- Almsgiving — turning our attention outward, toward those who suffer
These aren’t just traditions. They are tools for interior freedom. The first week is when we build the habit — before enthusiasm fades.
Practical Ways to Live This First Week Well
- Choose one concrete fast and keep it. Don’t wait to feel motivated. Start today, even if imperfectly.
- Add five minutes of silence to your morning. Before the phone, before the noise — just five minutes with God.
- Read Sunday’s Gospel (Luke 4:1–13). Jesus is tempted in the desert. So are we. Let His response be your model.
- Identify your biggest distraction. What pulls you away from God most easily? That’s your Lenten work.
- Give something away this week. From what God has given you — your time, your attention, your resources — offer it generously to someone in need
- Go to Confession if you haven’t. Lent is the season of reconciliation. Don’t wait until Holy Week.
- Pray for the person who frustrates you most. Lent is not only about us — it’s about learning to love better.
Scripture to Carry This Week
“The Spirit led Jesus into the desert to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.” — Matthew 4:1–2
“Return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.” — Joel 2:12
A Short Prayer for the First Week of Lent
Lord Jesus,
You entered the desert
so I would not have to face mine alone.
This week, walk with me.
When I am tempted to give up,
remind me why I began.
When I am distracted,
call me back to You.
Purify what needs purifying.
Heal what I cannot heal on my own.
I offer this week —
imperfect as it will be —
to You.
Amen.
Related Articles
- 40 Days of Lenten Prayers 2026
- Catholic Lent Guide 2026
- Lenten Fasting Rules 2026
- What to Give Up for Lent 2026
