Prayer • Study • Action

Week 5, March 22-28

Greetings!

The season of Lent invites us into a profound journey of conversion, turning away from sin and toward right relationship with God and one another. Through prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, we are called to examine not only our personal lives, but also the social sins that fracture our human family.

Racism and the unjust treatment of immigrants are among the clearest manifestations of structural sin in our time. They deny the sacred dignity of human beings created in God’s image and undermine the Gospel call to love our neighbor. During Lent, we are challenged to confront these realities honestly and to participate in the work of healing and transformation.

The prophet Isaiah reminds us that true fasting is not merely personal sacrifice, but the work of justice: “to loose the bonds of injustice… to let the oppressed go free… and to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house.” (Isaiah 58)

As we walk this Lenten path, we are called to repent — not only for individual prejudice, but for our participation, whether active or passive, in systems that harm communities of color and exclude migrants and refugees. This is a season to deepen our commitment to building the Beloved Community through Gospel nonviolence.

Below are opportunities for prayer, study, and action during Lent.

• PRAY •

A Lenten prayer for conversion and justice

Merciful God, in this season of repentance, you call us to return to You with all our hearts.

We confess the sin of racism — the ways we have judged, excluded, or remained silent in the face of injustice.

We confess our failure to welcome the stranger, to recognize Christ in the migrant and refugee, and to uphold the dignity of every person.

Create in us clean hearts, O God, and renew a right spirit within us.

Open our eyes to the suffering around us.

Break open our hearts to compassion.

Transform our lives so that our fasting leads to justice, our prayer leads to action, and our sacrifice leads to solidarity.

Walk with those who are marginalized, protect those who are displaced, and strengthen all who labor for justice and peace.

May this Lenten journey lead us to the new life of Easter — a life rooted in reconciliation, dignity, and love.

Amen.

Monday night prayer services during Lent

Join Pax Christi USA for a 30-minute prayer service for the last two Mondays in Lent -- March 23 and 30, 8:30-9 PM Eastern. Use this link to register with Zoom -- you will be automatically registered for both sessions.

• STUDY •

Lenten devotion to educating self and others on a broad basis

• Reflect on Isaiah 58 and Matthew 25:31–46 as foundational Lenten texts connecting faith with justice.
• Review Catholic Identity and Racial Diversity: A Framework for Catholic Institutions Committed to Racial Justice, Reconciliation, and the Gospel, from the USCCB
• Strangers No Longer: Together on the Journey of Hope offers a faith-based framework for understanding migration and our moral responsibilities.
• Explore how racism and immigration intersect: Consider how policies disproportionately affect communities of color, and how historical patterns shape present realities.
• Use this link to read a reflection from Bishop Mark Seitz for the “Racism in US immigration policy and practice” panel at the 2022 Catholic Immigrant Integration Initiative conference at Marquette University.
• Engage local voices: Listen to testimonies from immigrants and people impacted by racial injustice as part of your Lenten reflection.

• ACT •

Lenten commitments for justice and solidarity



• Fast from indifference: Commit to learning about one issue related to racism or immigration each week of Lent. Replace passive consumption with intentional awareness.
• Pray publicly and communally: Organize or participate in Lenten vigils, Stations of the Cross, or prayer services that highlight racial justice and migrant suffering.
• Check with the Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns for an updated Way of the Cross for 2026, available soon, which will include prayers for racial justice, solidarity with immigrants, and other critical issues. In the meantime, consider adapting the Way of the Cross for Peace and Justice from 2025.
• Visit the Season of Faithful Witness website to find public witness events in your area.
• Visit the STAND (Solidarity to advocate for neighbors' dignity) page on the Pax Christi USA website to find prayer service templates.
• Advocate as a Lenten discipline: Contact elected officials to support humane immigration reform and policies that address racial inequities. Make advocacy part of your weekly Lenten practice. Use this link to find your representative (type in your zip code) and use this link to find your senators (use the drop down option and choose your state).
• Build relationships across differences: Seek genuine opportunities to encounter and accompany those whose experiences differ from your own, especially migrants and communities of color.
• Examine your community: Encourage your parish or organization to reflect on its own practices regarding inclusion, equity, and justice.

> Click here to find additional resources for prayer, study and action throughout Lent.