There are as many ways to pray as there are prayers in this world. A few prayer methods can help us in particular to spiritually prepare ourselves during Lent:
1. Make your abstinence a prayer-in-action
Lent is a time to give up. Chocolate, coffee, that extra helping of dinner, screen time, gatherings—whatever it is, you can make what you’re giving up for Lent a prayer as well: a prayer-in-action. Whenever you face these during this time, take it as a Lenten joy.
2. Renew yourself through personal reflective prayer
Lent is a time of spiritual renewal. One easy step you can take is to use the many free online resources to start your prayer life.
3. Pray the Stations of the Cross
One of the most common traditions of Lent is to pray the Stations of the Cross. It is a prayer that reflects the passion and death of Christ in preparation for Good Friday observance and the Easter celebration.
4. Meditate on Holy Scripture with Lectio Divina
Perhaps the oldest method of scriptural prayer known to Christians is lectio divina or “holy reading.” This method of prayer is characterized by the slow reading and consideration of a text from Scripture, with repetition and meditation on keywords or phrases. Lectio divina is rooted in the belief that the scriptural word speaks in the human heart as the word of God and can reveal the thoughts of our hearts in response to God. In this way, lectio divina leads to a deeper communion with the Divine.
5. Reflect deeper on your liturgical prayer
When you attend Mass during Lent, be conscious of and meditate on the words you pray in the liturgy. Each prayer is very meaningful to Lent. It also commemorates the passion of Christ and salvation. For example, the Eucharistic Prayer, the highlight of each Mass, has special significance during Lent. After receiving communion, you may want to sit and reflect more deeply on this great prayer of the Church.