It's the age-old Catholic question: "What are you giving up for Lent?" That question only hints at the true conversion possible during this incredible season.

What can you do to make this Lent the best so far? First, keep it simple. Don't vow to read the entire Bible if you've never opened the Bible before. You'll most likely set yourself up for failure and frustration. Instead, choose some things your entire family can do that will be meaningful. Of course, each person can also choose something personal, but doing special Lenten activities together can powerfully affect the spiritual life of each and every person.

Why do anything at all? Simple. Taking the time to focus on your own strengths ad weaknesses can lead to a strong conversion to true happiness and freedom, to unity with God.

As usual, we've got a few basic steps for you to follow:

1. Take the Family Inventory

2. Consider possible Lenten resolutions

3. Celebrate Mardi Gras

4. Learn about ways to practice prayer, fasting, and almsgiving

5. Commit to your resolutions

6. Put up Easter decorations at the end of Lent

7. Prepare for Holy Week, also known as the Easter Triduum

Although recognized as a secular holiday promoting questionable behavior, Mardi Gras has its roots in Catholic celebrations. In many Catholic cultures Mardi Gras is simply the last day of the Carnival, the celebration which lasts from Epiphany to the Tuesday before Lent.

Our family celebrates Mardi Gras by decorating with fancy masks (from New Orleans!) and beads hanging everywhere. We also love little cakes and other desserts. Of course we make sure we've decided on our Lenten resolutions before celebrating! Don't forget to decorate with the colors of Mardi Gras:

• purple - for justice

• green - for faith

• gold - for power

Mardi Gras means "Fat Tuesday," and refers to the fatted calf which had been prepared for the feast on the last day of Carnival. It is also called "Shrove Tuesday," for those who shrive (or confess sins) and "Pancake Tuesday," because pancakes are useful for using up the dairy products, eggs, and fats that used to be forbidden during Lent. Whatever we call it, Mardi Gras is a wonderful way to celebrate life and prepare ourselves for the season of Lent.

Prayer

Prayer is simply our response to to God's call. There are so many ways to pray, but people often feel uncomfortable with them. Give it a try. You may be surprised how easy it can be, and how welcoming God is.

• Sit in silence and amazement at the wonders of our world

• Consider Jesus' last seven words before He died

• Get to Mass a few minutes early

• Read the Sunday Bible readings before you get to Sunday Mass 

• Go on a pilgrimage - Stations of the Cross, the cemetery where friends or family are buried, or any personal holy place

• Join a Bible Study group

• Listen to spiritually moving music

• Attend Eucharistic Adoration

• Say the Rosary with your family

It's all prayer.

There, that wasn't so hard, was it?

Fasting 

There is a difference between fasting and abstinence:

• Fasting is consuming less or nothing. We fast from what is good to achieve a higher good, such as fasting  from 3 full meals on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.

• Abstinence is avoiding things that cause us problems, such as junk food, too much TV viewing, etc.

• Both are designed to focus us on God, not our world.

*Basic Lenten regulations for fasting and abstinence:

• Fasting - One full meal is allowed on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. Two smaller meals are permitted to maintain strength. All Catholics 18-59 years of age are bound to these rules.

• Abstinence - No eating of meat is permitted on Ash Wednesday, Good Friday, and all Fridays of Lent for Catholics 14 years of age and older.

Usually we only think of financial donations as almsgiving. Also consider contributing your time and talent as part of almsgiving.

Time

• Visit the sick or imprisoned

• Send a letter to a friend or loved one

• Call your godparent or godchild

• Participate in a parish social event

• Participate in parish ministries

Talent - St. Paul says in the first letter to the Corinthians that God gives us all talents which should be used to help the community. (1Cor12:1-11)

• Consider how you can use your talents as a gift

• Use your talents to make a difference in the world around you. That world may be within your own family, your local community, or even world-wide.

Treasure - Consider the words of St. Basil the Great. Look around your house at all the worldly goods with which you have been blessed. Are there any you can do without? The St. Vincent de Paul Society, or other charitable organization, would be happy to receive them.