Many students at OHS spend 40 days giving something up, fasting or in general, trying to grow closer to God. Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of this tradition and it ends on Holy Thursday (a commemoration of the Last Supper). 

“It’s to respect Jesus and his sacrifice for us…” Mckenna Lavin (11) said.  “This year, I gave up energy drinks because I think they are bad for me. Then, I did something called the penance which is where you do something towards Jesus. So I’m doing daily Bible study with my friends.” 

This time of Lent is seen as a way to honor God. Implementing daily actions can make people participating feel closer to God in relation. Some students plan group Bible studies, pray more and meditate during this time period. Other students give up physical things to remind them of the importance of their religion. 

“It honors God and represents my religion. I feel like it brings me closer to God. Giving things up that I like is a way for me to sacrifice for God. It reminds me of the suffrage Jesus faced for us,” Olivia Effinger (10) said.

As seen during Lent, giving up things that are in your everyday life can make you more appreciative for what you have, and being grateful for that which you have is a trait that is typically aligned with God.

“For Lent, I gave up all caffeine, and it has been very difficult to keep up with because I used to drink caffeine every day,” Julianne Tutwiler (12) said.  “But I think it was very worth it because it was nice knowing I could give up something really important to me and be able to stick with my plan.”

While it can be challenging sticking with this commitment, many students agree that the pros outweight the cons. Overall, students around OHS seem to be sticking to their goals and they see major benefits because of this. 

“It’s a devotion to Jesus because he went without food for 40 days and 40 nights when he was in the desert…” Brayden Dunn (11) said. “I think it honors God, and that’s probably the best way of putting it.”