What Are the Main Practices of Lent?

The main practices of Lent are fasting, prayer and Scripture reading, almsgiving, repentance, and self-denial, including abstinence, all ordered toward preparation for the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. These practices are not random traditions or later additions to Christianity. They are rooted in Scripture, shaped by the example of Christ, and preserved in the life of the Church as a unified spiritual discipline. Lent brings these practices together into a defined season so that believers may live them intentionally rather than sporadically.

Fasting is one of the most visible practices of Lent and has clear biblical foundations. Jesus Christ fasted for forty days in the wilderness before beginning His public ministry (Matthew 4:1–2). Throughout Scripture, fasting is associated with repentance, humility, and dependence on God (Joel 2:12–13). In Lent, fasting is not understood as punishment or self-harm, but as disciplined restraint that helps reorder desires and refocus life toward God. Lent emphasizes both communal fasting on appointed days and personal acts of restraint chosen freely.

Prayer and Scripture reading form the second central practice of Lent and give direction to all others. Scripture consistently shows prayer accompanying fasting and repentance (Daniel 9:3; Acts 13:2–3). During Lent, prayer is intensified rather than invented. This includes personal prayer, attentive reading of Scripture, participation in communal worship, and reflection on the passion of Christ. Scripture reading during Lent allows believers to listen more closely to God’s word, while prayer becomes the response of the heart. Together, they deepen relationship with God rather than merely increasing religious activity.

Almsgiving is inseparable from fasting and prayer in biblical teaching. Jesus explicitly joined these three practices together, warning against hypocrisy while assuming their practice (Matthew 6:1–18). Almsgiving expresses love of neighbor and concern for the poor, reminding believers that repentance must bear fruit in charity (Isaiah 58:6–7). Almsgiving is not optional generosity, but a concrete expression of faith lived outwardly.

Repentance stands at the heart of Lent and gives meaning to every other practice. Scripture repeatedly calls God’s people to examine their lives, turn away from sin, and return to the Lord (Ezekiel 18:30–31). Lent provides a structured time for this conversion of heart, including confession of sins and reconciliation with God and others (Psalm 51:17). Repentance in Lent is not meant to produce guilt without hope, but renewal grounded in God’s mercy.

Self-denial and abstinence are closely related but not identical. Abstinence refers to refraining from certain foods, traditionally meat, on appointed days as an act of discipline and obedience. Self-denial is broader, involving the voluntary setting aside of legitimate comforts or habits in order to follow Christ more closely. Jesus taught that discipleship involves taking up the cross and denying oneself (Luke 9:23). During Lent, self-denial trains believers to loosen attachment to worldly habits and grow in interior freedom.

Taken together, these practices form a coherent whole. Fasting disciplines the body, prayer and Scripture reading shape the mind and heart, almsgiving opens the hands, repentance reforms the soul, and self-denial orders daily life. Lent unites them into a single season so that believers may prepare themselves to contemplate the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.