We are already deep into mid-February 2026, and it feels as though the new year arrived only yesterday. Time seems to race forward, doesn’t it?
The opening weeks of 2026 have brought a whirlwind of geopolitical turmoil: escalating tensions in Iran, leadership shake-ups in China amid economic challenges, the dramatic U.S.-led arrest of Venezuela’s leader, and tragic violence like a school shooting. Within just a month and a half, waves of chaos have swept across the world, reminding us of the fragility of human affairs.
Yet, in the midst of this unrest, hope stirs within me. On February 17, we celebrate Chinese New Year—the Year of the Fire Horse, a symbol of new beginnings, strength, vitality, and focused forward movement. This vibrant energy arrives just as Lent begins the very next day, on Ash Wednesday, February 18. What a beautiful convergence: the cultural promise of renewal alongside the sacred invitation to turn toward Christ our Savior.
Lent, as the Church teaches, is a 40-day season of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving—a time of preparation to celebrate the Lord’s Resurrection at Easter (see USCCB reflections on Lent). It calls us to inner conversion, seeking the Lord more deeply through Scripture, self-denial, and service to others.
In these early February weeks, I’ve begun preparing my body and spirit. I’ve shifted to healthier eating, gradually building toward a 16-hour fast—no food after 8 p.m. and breakfast after 8 a.m.—with the goal of extending the fast later in Lent. This discipline is rooted in Scripture: “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been purchased at a price. Therefore, glorify God in your body” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20, NABRE/USCCB). My body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, entrusted to me by God. Caring for it through mindful fasting and nutrition allows my cells to purify and regenerate, but more importantly, it honors Him who dwells within.
As I grow older in my walk with Christ, Lent has become less about a rigid list of “what I give up” and more about shedding whatever hinders my relationship with God—habits, distractions, or attachments that draw me away from His presence. It’s a gentle pruning, making room for deeper union with Him.
Entering this Fire Horse year as a Chinese mother in my 60s, I embrace my ethnicity and cultural heritage with fresh gratitude and respect. In my youth and young adulthood, the worlds of East and West often felt in conflict. But through my journey with Christ, He has taught me to become a fuller, truer version of myself. Walking with Him, I am finally at peace simply being me—honoring the many facets within and around me that make each person unique in God’s eyes.
Happy Chinese New Year!
May this Lent find each of us walking mindfully toward the Cross, attentive to our personal journey of conversion. In shedding what separates us from God, may we grow as better individuals within the Body of Christ—renewed in strength, like the Fire Horse, yet grounded in the eternal hope of our Savior.
What are you carrying into Lent this year?
Be Inspired! 
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