As we begin the season of Lent, many Catholics will undertake or rededicate themselves to the three Lenten practices of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving in order to grow in openness to God. Popular Catholic author and speaker Fr. Mike Schmitz suggests that we frame these three Lenten disciplines in this way: “When considering prayer, we can ask: ‘In what way do I need to grow closer to the Lord?’ When considering fasting, we can ask: ‘What do I need to get rid of in order to be more free to love and serve the Lord?’ And when considering almsgiving, we can ask: ‘Where do I believe that I am called to give or serve?’” Explaining Lenten disciplines in this way, one can make a case that contemplative practice can fuel and direct spiritual growth and all of the three headings. Contemplative practices like Centering Prayer call us to a very direct form of fasting, as we let go of our very thoughts and thought patterns in order to love God on God’s own terms rather than through our preconstructed mental filters. As a practice, contemplative prayer allows us to grow in closer intimacy with God by taking dedicated time to rest in and grow in awareness of the Divine Presence. Finally, purified by this shedding of our preconceptions of Divine Love and Divine Will, and attuned to God’s vision through dedicated rest in God, we can recognize more clearly how we can serve Christ in people and in creation.