The prayer, fasting and almsgiving that I will do during Lent will have an Easter purpose. Fasting helps me realize my dependence; it helps me become aware of the needs of others; it empties me so that I can be filled with God’s gifts. I will give alms for the same reasons; to increase my awareness of the poverty of others, to become more detached from things and more focused on God. The prayers I will offer during Lent are prayers of repentance, prayers of reparation. That is important, but most of all, like Saint Paul, I will pray that God may “bring the image of his Son to perfection within me”. For me, it will be a journey of hope, a fitting time to “ascend to the holy mountain of Easter”.