The Three Pillars of Lent
The season of Lent is upon us, and it’s always good to refresh ourselves on why exactly we take part in this 40 day period. Lent is about so much more than giving up chocolate and counting down until Easter! The three pillars of Lent, drawn from Jesus' teaching in Matthew 6, are intended to draw us closer into the heart of God through a 40 day period of intentional spiritual practice. The three pillars are about giving: giving our resources through almsgiving, our comforts through fasting, and ourselves through prayer.
1. Prayer
"Whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward." - Matthew 6:5
2. Almsgiving
Prayer and fasting go hand in hand, mutually enhancing one another. We pray to fast and we fast to pray. Each one is made richer by the other. If you feel like you have nothing to give this Lent, begin here: giving yourself to God in prayer.
"But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your alms may be done in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you." - Matt 6:3-4
Almsgiving is not simply about giving to the poor, but about justice more broadly. As Matt 6:4 suggests, it is not about mere virtue-signaling. Justice is about doing the unseen work of feeding the hungry and fighting for the oppressed.
3. Almsgiving
"Whenever you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces so as to show others that they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward." - Matt 6:16
In fasting, we imitate Jesus, who fasted in the wilderness for 40 days, and was tempted by the Devil. We all have temptations when fasting—to be seen by others, to pat ourselves on the back, to give up things for our own vanity’s sake. But in doing so, we miss the point: fasting is not about us at all…
It is about making us more like Jesus.
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Imagine how beautiful it would be to spend 40 days establishing gentle and joyful rhythms of prayer, fasting, and giving with your family—practices that will last far beyond the Lenten season. The Little Way Lent guide for families takes the guesswork out of Lent, giving you one simple practice per day to do as a family. It also includes loads more if you want to dive deeper:
A history of Lent
An overview of the “three pillars of Lent”: prayer, fasting, and almsgiving
A guide for kicking off Lent on Shrove Tuesday (or Mardi Gras)
A lesson introducing Lent to children
A printable card for each day of Lent with a simple spiritual practice to deepen your family’s Lenten journey. Each practice draws from one of the three traditional pillars of Lent: Prayer, Fasting or Giving
Detailed notes for daily practices, explaining the history and theology behind it
Prayer card prints
Please note: This product is a 50 page digital download for personal use only. Churches, schools, and generous friends can purchase a group license here.
Save by purchasing the Little Way Lenten Guide and Holy Week Guide as a bundle!
Little Way Chapel is committed to making all of our resources:
User-friendly: Just download, print, and go!
Church-friendly: Ecumenical, written for all Christian traditions that follow the church calendar.
Family-friendly: Geared towards families with children ages 3-12, but easily adaptable for all ages.
This is a digital download. Links expire after 24 hours. Email alissa@littlewaychapel.com with any issues.
How beautiful would it be to spend 40 days establishing gentle and joyful rhythms of prayer, fasting, and giving with your family? Practices that will take you far beyond 40 days. The Little Way Lent Guide takes the guesswork out of Lent for families, offering you one simple spiritual practice to complete each day. May it bless you as you pray, fast, and give…together!