The First Sunday of Lent 2026: Entering the Wilderness
The first Sunday of Lent marks the beginning of a journey. The Catholic Priest at Mass is clad in purple vestments, and the congregation may already be weary from their fasts and abstinences of Lent. This is the beginning of a journey that will last for more than forty calendar days.
The key to a successful Lenten fast and abstinence is to take things day by day. Many will falter; we need to understand that. If we fall short of our Lenten plans, we must understand that this is human, and the most important thing is to get back up and start anew. Are you able to stay true to the promises you make during Lent?
The Most Important Traits to Have a Successful Lent
The most important trait to have on the first Sunday of Lent, as the season is beginning, is persistence. One must ‘stick to it’ so to speak if you are going to fast twice, give something up, and have increased your prayer life and are giving alms. You need to realize you are imperfect, and it is OK if you fall short. The important thing is to restart whatever it is you failed at as soon as you fail.
The Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit
Apart from this determination, the seven gifts of the holy spirit are useful in the successful pursuit of a Lenten journey. The gifts of the holy spirit are: Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude, Knowledge, Piety, and Fear of the Lord. This article will go through each in turn and tell, specifically, how they can help with the Lenten journey that is just beginning on the first Sunday of Lent.
The Gift of Wisdom
The gift of wisdom means the ability to choose correctly in all situations. It is obvious how this relates to this season. One needs to choose to fast, to give something up, and to abstain from meat on Fridays. If a person happens to fail in one of these pursuits, they must choose to start back up.
The Gift of Understanding
The second gift of the Holy Spirit is understanding. It is the ability to comprehend the deeper meaning of faith. There is a bigger purpose to all the abstinences of Lent. That larger purpose is preparation for Easter Sunday.
The Gift of Counsel
The third gift of the holy spirit is counsel. This is the ability to advise correctly and accurately know the situation one finds themselves in. This is important in this season because one must help other people, so the ability to give good advice is important.
The Gift of Fortitude
The fourth gift of the holy spirit is fortitude, or the ability to stand firm in your beliefs. Many may mock you during the season as you have outward signs of your faith, like ashes on your forehead. We must have the courage of our convictions, so fortitude is essential.
The Gift of Knowledge
The fifth gift of the holy spirit is knowledge. This is the ability to see things from God’s perspective. Taking this viewpoint is instructive. In doing so, one can see that their own seasonal promises are not that important. This perspective is useful.
The Gift of Piety
The sixth gift of the holy spirit is piety. This is the ability to love and worship God with reverence. This is important to a person keeping their vows during this season. Obviously, this is important to keeping promises that are demanding.
The Gift of Fear of God
The seventh, and final, gift of the holy spirit is fear of the Lord. This gift is a sense of awe and respect for God’s greatness. This gift is useful because, to be faithful to Lenten promises, one needs to have a healthy respect for the one who organizes the universe.
Parting Shots
These gifts of the holy spirit help us on the first Sunday of Lent because we are only at the beginning of a difficult journey. On the first Sunday of Lent, the priest wears purple vestments and will urge Catholics to add to their myriad Lenten sacrifices and avail themselves of the sacrament of confession. The Priest will also implore us to remain true to our seasonal promises.
Disclaimer: This article contains a summary of the Catholic practices of Lent as well as interpretive insights from the author. Interpretations of church teachings can differ, and this piece represents one approach.
