Editor: Bishop Garcia, Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, which is Feb. 18. What is the significance of the Lenten season?

Bishop Garcia: The season of Lent is the 40 days from Ash Wednesday to the evening of Holy Thursday during which we prepare for the passion, death and resurrection of Christ. Lent is an opportunity for us to step back and examine our lives in relationship to God and to our sisters and brothers in Christ. Our lives move so quickly these days, and I think Lent is a good time for us to slow down and think about how we are doing as disciples of Christ. The three pillars of Lent — fasting, prayer and almsgiving — help us draw closer to Christ.

Editor: Let's break down those three pillars, starting with fasting. It's not all about food, correct?

Bishop Garcia: Right, many of us tend to think of fasting from food or drink during Lent, but we can also fast from other things, such as television or social media. We could think about fasting from certain behaviors or habits that are interfering with or taking time away from our relationship with God or our relationships with others. Fasting often has a negative connotation; however, I think fasting is a way to make us a better person.

Editor: What is the significance of prayer during Lent?

Bishop Garcia: Well, certainly, from the moment we are brought into this world with the help of parents and godparents and extended family and friends, the hope is that we understand and learn what it means to have a relationship with God. And prayer is that vehicle; prayer is how we communicate with God, whether it's verbally or in the silence of our hearts.

When people ask me how to pray, I encourage them to make time to have a conversation with God and to remember that a conversation means that we are talking and we are listening. It goes both ways!

Prayer is multidimensional. Prayer can happen at Mass or during Adoration or at any of the Lenten activities in our parishes, and it also happens outside of church. We can enjoy prayer time in the solitude of taking a walk in our neighborhood. Or we can dedicate a space in our home where we pray at certain times of the day. Or we can dedicate our drive into work as a time to talk to God. It does not matter when we pray, but it is important that we carve out time each day to pray and to work on our relationship with God.

Editor: The third pillar of Lent is almsgiving.

Bishop Garcia: Almsgiving means donating money or goods to the poor and doing other acts of charity for those in need. It's not just about money, but it’s also about giving our time and talents to help our brothers and sisters. This Lent, I encourage each of us to share our time and talents with people around us. Take the time to get to know your neighbors or reach out to an old friend. These things may seem simple, but they can be profound for those who are alone or struggling.

Editor: Will you explain the rules about fasting and abstaining from meat during Lent?

Bishop Garcia: The Catholic Church asks that we fast and abstain from eating meat on Ash Wednesday (Feb. 18) and Good Friday (April 3). Fasting in this case means eating one full meal, as well as two smaller meals that together do not equal a full meal. We are also asked to abstain from eating meat on Fridays during Lent.

The church gives us these few days for us to sacrifice so that we can better understand our deep reliance on God. Most of us are blessed to have the opportunity to have meat at nearly every meal. On the Fridays of Lent, as we abstain from meat, we can pray for those who are not so fortunate to be able to afford meat at every meal or we can donate what we would have spent on meat to the less fortunate.

Editor: What is your prayer for this sacred time of year?

Bishop Garcia: I pray for a deeper sense of unity and peace in our world. As humans, we are broken on so many levels. I pray that in our families, churches, neighborhoods, schools and workplaces, we are working diligently to realize that each person is a gift. During this Lenten season, I pray that we pause, take a deep breath and allow God to transform our hearts, so that we may acknowledge how important we are to one another, work to rebuild trust and strive to love one another despite our differences. Amen.