On The Drew Mariani Show, Drew opened Ash Wednesday with gratitude and a reminder that Lent is a “powerful time of prayer,” especially after praying the Chaplet of Divine Mercy together. But then he pressed the bigger question: Is Lent only about sacrifice, or is it meant to transform us?

Like many Catholics, we can default to the familiar: giving up coffee, sweets, or scrolling. Drew affirmed those sacrifices, but pointed to what they’re really for: making space for Jesus. Lent, he said, is also about “offering something back,” entering the desert with Christ, and asking Him to reveal who we are and who He is. The Church gives us 40 days modeled on Jesus’ own 40 days of prayer and fasting, a season for “reset,” repentance, and returning to God.

Father Francis Hoffman, better known as Father Rocky, joined Drew in studio and highlighted why Ash Wednesday stands out. It’s a day when Catholics receive ashes, a humble sign that we belong to Christ. Father Rocky noted how Americans often wear that cross boldly in public, and he called it a gift: “It marks you out as a Christian or as a Catholic, as a believer.” In a world that wants faith kept private, that outward sign quietly preaches.

Then Father Rocky grounded Lent in the Church’s classic threefold plan: prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Fasting isn’t only subtraction; it’s room-making. Giving things up clears space for what matters more: daily Mass if possible, Stations of the Cross on Fridays, spiritual reading, or simply showing up for prayer when you do not feel like it.

And almsgiving? Father Rocky reminded us that it’s an ancient and concrete practice. It can take the form of offering time, money, or service. The advice he repeats often during Relevant Radio pledge drives fits Lent, too: “Give till you smile, not give till it hurts.” The paradox of generosity is that it makes us happier.

If Lent starts strong and then fizzles, Father Rocky’s advice is simple: “Begin again, begin again, begin again.” Take it one day at a time. Make very specific resolutions “not more than two.” And by Easter, if we’re closer to Christ, we’ll be closer to each other.

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