This year Lent comes “late”. Because of how we currently calculate Easter, the latest possible date for Ash Wednesday is March 10th. This year it falls on March 5th. While it is nice that this will mean Easter is firmly in Spring and, hopefully, Spring weather, it also offers us a great opportunity to take time to prepare for Lent.

The Tradition

The Sundays and weeks before Lent used to be marked with special preparation for the season. Often these traditions, in both Eastern and Western Christianity, involved a gradual transition to the strict fasting of Lent. In Byzantine Catholicism the Sunday two weeks before Lent begins is known as Meatfare. This marks when the faithful are called to give up meat. The following Sunday is Chesefare and begins the fast from dairy and eggs.

In Roman Catholicism, the third Sunday before Ash Wednesday was traditionally known as Septuagesima. This began a sort of pre-Lent which, liturgically, was very similar in appearance to Lent including purple vestments and the exclusion of the Alleluia. The season involved differing degrees of fasting throughout its history.

These and other similar pre-Lenten periods had clear benefits for the faithful and following a similar pattern can benefit us today.

Practicals

Here are some ways you can incorporate the spirit of this tradition into your Lenten practice this year:

Start your fasting early

If you want to go hardcore, eliminate the chocolate now. Fasting isn’t just for Lent, we can (and should) give up treats or add in mortifications throughout the year.

Ease into fasting

For example, reduce your social media use to just an hour, then a half an hour, and then remove it completely on Ash Wednesday. Sometimes this approach is easier and more successful than cold turkey.

Start mentally preparing so Ash Wednesday isn’t a slap in the face

Maybe bring out some Lenten decor, start saying a daily penitential prayer, or plan a new tradition to add to your Lenten observance this year. Get in the mindset that Lent is coming.

Give yourself grace

Pre-Lent is by no means mandatory for Roman Catholics. Use this time as an opportunity to increase your devotion rather than a time to check extra things off the “to do to be holy” list. Let this be a time to realize that fasting, prayer and almsgiving are meant to draw us closer to God. These are practices we are called to embrace throughout the liturgical seasons.

Featured Image by Adrian Scottow on Flickr CC BY-SA 2.0