Lent, the season of preparation for Christ’s Resurrection at Easter, is for many Catholics a special time of prayer, fasting, and renewed spiritual focus. There is no other period in the liturgical year that so completely draws our attention to the things of God, and to the great themes and traditions of Christianity. The Essential Lenten Handbook provides everything readers need for a richer experience of the 40 days before Easter. Whether one wishes to follow a traditional program of Lenten devotion centered around prayer, a modern program that focuses on Scripture readings, a family model that brings loved ones together for a shared spiritual journey, or a unique devotional program, this all-in-one resource is an invaluable reference and the quintessential compact guidebook to all of the basic Lenten practices of Catholicism. The Essential Lenten Handbook covers a wide range of topics, including: A short history of Lent Traditional Lenten hymns The penitential nature of