25 Inspiring Quotes to Guide You Through Lent

Lent invites believers to journey towards Easter with a renewed sense of faith, prayer, and sacrifice. Drawing from the wisdom of the saints, who exemplify lives of holiness and devotion, we can find inspiration and guidance for our Lenten journey. Here are 25 quotes from various saints and holy men and women to uplift and guide you through this sacred season.

Prayer, Almsgiving, and Fasting

"Do you wish your prayer to fly toward God? Make for it two wings: fasting and almsgiving." - St. Augustine of Hippo

“Let the mouth fast from foul words and unjust criticism for what good is it if we abstain from birds and fishes but bite and devour our brothers.” — St. John Chrysostom

"The goal of fasting is inner unity. This means hearing, but not with the ear; hearing, but not with the understanding; it is hearing with the spirit, with your whole being”.- Thomas Merton

“You don’t know how to pray? Put yourself in the presence of God, and as soon as you have said, ‘Lord, I don’t know how to pray!’ you can be sure you’ve already begun.” - St. Josemaría Escrivá

“Give something, however small, to the one in need, for it is not small to one who has nothing. Neither is it small to God if we have given what we could.” - St. Gregory Nazianzen

“Fasting cleanses the soul, raises the mind, subjects one’s flesh to the spirit, renders the heart contrite and humble, scatters the clouds of concupiscence, quenches the fire of lust, kindles the true light of chastity.” - St. Thomas Aquinas

“My whole strength lies in prayer and sacrifice; these are my invincible arms; they can move hearts far better than words.” - St. Therese of Lisieux

“No act of virtue can be great if it is not followed by advantage for others. So, no matter how much time you spend fasting, no matter how much you sleep on a hard floor and eat ashes and sigh continually, if you do no good to others, you do nothing great.” ? St. John Chrysostom

“Temper all your works with moderation, that is to say, all your abstinence, your fasting, your vigils, and your prayers, for temperance sustains your body and soul with the proper measure, lest they fail. It reminds an honorable person that he is ashes and shall return to ashes [cf. Gen 3.19] — St. Hildegard of Bingen

Why Lent?

“Unless there is a Good Friday in your life, there can be no Easter Sunday.” - Ven. Fulton J. Sheen

"Lent is a fitting time for self-denial; we would do well to ask ourselves what we can give up in order to help and enrich others by our own poverty. Let us not forget that real poverty hurts: no self-denial is real without this dimension of penance. I distrust a charity that costs nothing and does not hurt." - Pope Francis

“The life of a Christian is nothing but a perpetual struggle against self; there is no flowering of the soul to the beauty of its perfection except at the price of pain.” - St. Padre Pio

“As Lent is the time for greater love, listen to Jesus’ thirst…He knows your weaknesses. He wants only your love, wants only the chance to love you.” - St. Teresa of Calcutta

“The purpose of Lent is not to force on us a few formal obligations, but to ‘soften’ our heart so that it may open itself to the realities of the spirit, to experience the hidden ‘ thirst’ for communion with God.” - Saint John Paul II

“Lent is a time of grace, a time for conversion, a time to come home to God.” - St. Maximilian Kolbe

“Nothing great is ever achieved without much enduring.”  —St. Catherine of Siena

“There are a lot of things you can give to Jesus—I don’t like to say, ‘Give it up.’ Well, you’re going to take it back. But give it to Jesus for Lent.” — Mother Angelica

“Never forget that there are only two philosophies to rule your life: the one of the cross, which starts with the fast and ends with the feast. The other of Satan, which starts with the feast and ends with the headache.” — Ven. Fulton J. Sheen

Words to Maintain Hope and Inspiration

“The Lord measures out perfection neither by the multitude nor the magnitude of our deeds, but by the manner in which we perform them.” – St. John of the Cross

"Nothing, how little so ever it be, if it is suffered for God's sake, can pass without merit in the sight of God." -Thomas a Kempis

“If you suffer with Him, you will reign with Him. If you cry with Him, you will have joy with Him. If you die with Him on the Cross of tribulation, you will possess the eternal dwelling place in the splendor of the saints.  And your name, written in the Book of Life, will be glorious among men.” - St. Clare of Assisi 

“Behold, Jesus Christ crucified, who is the only foundation of our hope; He is our mediator and advocate; the victim and sacrifice for our sins. He is goodness and patience itself; His mercy is moved by the tears of sinners, and he never refuses pardon and grace to those who ask it with a truly contrite and humbled heart.” - St. Charles Borromeo

“Pain and suffering have come into your life, but remember pain, sorrow, and suffering are but the kiss of Jesus — a sign that you have come so close to Him that He can kiss you.” - St. Teresa of Calcutta

“Let no one mourn that he has fallen again and again: for forgiveness has risen from the grave!” - St. John Chrysostom

“The world offers you comfort, but you were not made for comfort.  You were made for greatness.” - Pope Benedict XVI

As we journey through Lent, let us heed the wisdom of the saints, embracing prayer, fasting, and almsgiving with open hearts. May these quotes inspire and guide us towards a deeper relationship with God and a greater love for our neighbors. Let us emerge from this season renewed in faith, hope, and love, ready to celebrate the joy of Easter.