“Yet even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments.” Return to the Lord your God, for God is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love …

~ Joel 2: 12-13

It is time again for deep reflection and prayer as we prepare ourselves for the agony of Good Friday and the joy of Easter.

Our prayers continue for a conversion of hearts and minds to nonviolence. Many are distressed and frightened as federal agents terrorize immigrant communities; we’ve watched in horror as US citizens who have stood in solidarity with immigrants have been murdered. Federal agencies dedicated to humanitarian foreign assistance have been dismantled. Civil and human rights are being eliminated. Treaties to encourage nuclear disarmament have expired.

We continue to pray for guidance as we respond in a way that is faith-filled, just, positive, and effective.

We pray for all who live in war: for all those in Gaza, the West Bank, Israel, and across the Middle East; for everyone affected by the war in Ukraine; for the people of Yemen, who have been bombarded for years; for the people of the Great Lakes region of Africa, in Sudan and South Sudan; for the long-suffering people of Haiti, for those around the world who endure constant threat from state or paramilitary actors. We lament the continued loss of life and health caused by the COVID pandemic and other widespread illnesses, from the overt threat of White nationalism and racial injustice to the intractable issues of poverty and unequal access to healthcare.

human standing beside crucifix statue on mountain

The season of Lent allows us to root ourselves ever more deeply in discipleship to the nonviolent Jesus, to demonstrate the unbreakable bond that exists between an authentic spirituality and our commitment to social justice, between the proclamation of the gospel and the call to practice peacemaking, fortifying us to address injustice, violence, and oppression as we have for more than 50 years.

We hope the resources below for prayer, study and action will be helpful to you as we journey through Lent together, walking the way of discipleship with Jesus toward the Cross by challenging systems which dominate and oppress in our world today.

2026 brings a special blessing: This year, Lent coincides with the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Use this link to read a piece from Pax Christi International’s new bishop president, Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo from the Philippines, about the significance of this highly unusual convergence.

REFLECTIONS FOR SUNDAYS AND HOLY DAYS

On this page throughout the season, we will feature reflections from this year’s Pax Christi USA Lenten reflection booklet and other excerpts from past booklets (based on Cycle A of the liturgical year.) We’ll also send our weekly Lenten emails directly to your inbox if you’re subscribed to our free email service. (Click here to sign up if you are not already subscribed.)

  • Ash Wednesday, February 18, written by Michael Angel Martín
  • First Sunday of Lent, February 22
  • Second Sunday of Lent, March 1
  • Third Sunday of Lent, March 8
  • Fourth Sunday of Lent, March 15
  • Fifth Sunday of Lent, March 22
  • Palm Sunday, March 29
  • Holy Thursday, April 2
  • Good Friday, April 3
  • Holy Saturday, April 4
  • Easter Sunday, April 5

PRAY-STUDY-ACT EACH WEEK OF LENT

Each week, we’ll be crafting a special Pray-Study-Act e-bulletin (PSA) with resources for us all to use and to act on in common. Each PSA will be sent out a few days prior to the week to which it refers; links will be made available closer to the dates.

  • First week of Lent, February 22-28
  • Second week of Lent, March 1-7
  • Third week of Lent, March 8-14
  • Fourth week of Lent, March 15-21
  • Fifth week of Lent, March 22-28
  • Holy Week, March 29-April 4

OTHER LENTEN RESOURCES

Weekly events

  • Mondays in Lent:Pax Christi USA community weekly Lenten prayer service – Pax Christi USA invites all to join in a 30-minute prayer service, 8:30-9 PM Eastern, each Monday in Lent: February 23, March 2, March 9, March 16, March 23, and March 30. Click on this link to register with Zoom — you only need to register once in order to participate each week. We will add videos and programs of prayer services.
    • Watch the recordings of each week’s service on our YouTube page here.

Ash Wednesday observances, February 18

Pax Christi USA will join other Catholic groups in Washington DC outside the Cannon House Office Building on Capitol Hill (corner of Independence Avenue and New Jersey Avenue) for a prayer service and distribution of ashes.

Join Nuns Against Gun Violence for a simple prayer service to begin the Lenten Fast to End Gun Violence. The service will be livestreamed on YouTube, and the recording will be available immediately afterward at the same link: https://youtube.com/live/EndVbZlDr8Y?feature=share

Holy Week and Good Friday observances, March 29-April 3

Traditionally, many Pax Christi USA local groups plan and stage a Way of the Cross event on Good Friday, connecting the sufferings of Christ during his passion with the suffering of our brothers and sisters at the hands of violence, greed, poverty, sickness and war.

>> Let us know if you have a Way of the Cross planned in your community.

Below are resources for groups interested in undertaking a Way of the Cross in their community during Holy Week and on Good Friday, April 3.

2026 LENTEN REFLECTION BOOKLET

Purchase a downloadable PDF edition of this year’s Lenten reflection booklet, Peace compels us: Reflections for Lent 2026, which includes reflections based on the daily liturgical readings for the entire season of Lent, from Ash Wednesday through Easter.

>>Use this link to order the e-version

>>Use this link to order the hard copy (low inventory)