February 2026
Dear Graduates of Chaminade and Kellenberg Memorial,
You’ve heard the expression, “Go big or go home.” But for this month’s reflection, I’d say, “Go big and go home!” You see, Easter is early this year, April 5th, so that means that it is already time for us to think about the great season of Lent. I’ll confess that Lent is not in my top-five favorite liturgical seasons, but maybe that very fact should tell me something about myself!
“Go big or go home.” It usually means something like, “If you’re going to do it, do it well or don’t do it at all.” It’s a dichotomy: either you fully commit, or you don’t even start. Isn’t that how Lent often goes for us? We usually don’t fully commit, so it’s the same as if we never started. Ash Wednesday sneaks up on us, and we hastily choose something to give up, but then by week three we have already forgotten about it. Or, instead of “going big,” we pick something like “I’m not going to eat Chipotle on Mondays.” Come on . . .
When you were in high school, we teachers were happy to get you guys to pick something – anything at all – to do in order to keep a worthy Lent. Now that you are old enough to vote and serve in the military, I think it’s time that you “go big” for Lent . . . or, at least, that you do something more than you have done in the past. A Lenten sacrifice should be something that you actually notice in your day-to-day life. It should cost you something. Do you remember the story of Cain and Abel in the Bible? God preferred Abel’s offering because he gave his best to God, while Cain offered what was left-over from his day. As we prepare for Lent, I’d like to make some suggestions to help you “go big” and offer God a sacrifice like Abel’s.
Prayer. Fasting. Almsgiving. These are the “big three” of Lent. I challenge you to pick one more more of the following suggestions from each category to help you “go big” this Lent.
Prayer
- Actually use this Magnificat. Pray Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer each day. It takes about 4 minutes. Set a reminder on your phone to help you get into a pattern of prayer.
- Mass every Sunday is an obligation and a privilege. So in addition to Sunday Mass, go to weekday Masses two times per week. (If you go to a Catholic university, this could be an easy one.) I started going to daily Mass in college, and it changed my life.
- Go to Confession once every two weeks. The sacrament helps you grow in every virtue.
- Read all 27 books of the New Testament in 40 days.
- The Paschal Mystery of Easter is called the New Exodus. The Book of Exodus has 40 chapters. Read one each day to help you prepare for our liberation from our slavery to sin.
- Pray the Rosary every day. Bring all your intentions to Jesus through Mary.
- Use a daily Lenten Meditation book/email, like the one from Ascension Press.
- Examine your conscience each night and then pray Night Prayer. Use the Hallow app if you can. (Check out their Lent Pray40 Challenge too.)
Fasting
- The Church obliges us to fast from food only on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. Fast every Wednesday of Lent too. What does that look like? One small meal. No snacks.
- No caffeine. No nicotine.
- Stop sports gambling. Cold turkey. Not even for March Madness.
- Don’t watch TV. Not even for March Madness . . .
- No YouTube. Can you do it?
- Do not drink any alcohol.
- Set a 15 min daily app limit on all your social media. Or, just drop it.
- A cold shower every day. Often talked about but seldom tried.
Almsgiving
- Save $5 per day, and during Holy Week donate $200 ($5 x 40 days) to your parish or campus ministry.
- Go to Costco and buy $200 worth of food or supplies to donate to your parish food pantry; to a drug rehabilitation center; or to a group like the Sisters of Life, who help young mothers and their babies.
- Volunteer your time once per week. Maybe there is a local shelter nearby. Is there a program like PREP at a local parish where you can teach our faith to children?
- Give your undivided attention to the person in front of you.
Why do I think you guys can “go big” for Lent? Because I know that you want to “go home” too. Lent reminds us that all the good things in our lives are ultimately passing away. Prayer, fasting, and almsgiving help fight our selfishness – that stain of original sin – that beguiles us at every moment of our lives. Lent reminds us that our ultimate home is in Heaven.
Why do we pray, fast, and give? Because Our Lord Jesus Christ did it for us. He prayed and fasted for 40 days in the desert. He gave totally of his time and attention to others, and He gave himself totally on the Cross for our salvation. Prayer, fasting and almsgiving make us more like Jesus. Being like Jesus is what we call Heaven. We pray, fast, and give alms because we love Jesus. So, this Lent, why not, “Go big and go home”?
I hope that Lent will be a challenging and blessed time for you. Be sure of my prayers – and the prayers of all my Marianist Brothers – for you and your families.
Please pray for us too!
To Jesus, through Mary,
Bro. Patrick Cahill, SM
