One of the most holy seasons of the year starts Feb. 13: Lent.

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the 40 days to prepare Christians for the celebration for the Resurrection of Christ (Easter).

Prayer, fasting, and almsgiving are the three spiritual pillars of Lent (although, they’re meant for the entire year). These great spiritual practices are important for growth as Christians. I suspect that these same practices (with some modifications, of course) are good for all people – whether they are Catholic, Atheist, Muslim, male, female, gay, straight, old, young, rich, poor – it really doesn’t matter who you are.

Let me explain.

Almsgiving is the practice of doing sincere acts of charity. I’m convinced that good begets good. Doing something good for someone else – whether that’s giving money to the soup kitchen, doing your roommate’s dishes, or holding the door open for that one extra person – can only make the world better. The person helped thinks, “Gee, there’s still good in the world.” And let’s be honest, you’ll feel good about it, too. Imagine if everyone just did one extra, kind thing, said one more kind word each and every day. Maybe that person who feels crappy has a better day – maybe they will do something for someone else, and it continues on. Good begets good.

What about fasting? Just reading statistics about obesity problems in the United States is enough proof we could all use a little fasting. Saying no to the first beer one night a week makes it that much easier to say no to the 37th beer on Friday night. Saying no to a cookie one lunch a week makes it that much easier to say no to three pieces of cake because it’s there or you’re bored. Saying no to pornography makes it easier to fully love your significant other. Keeping the headphones out of your ears while walking to class every Tuesday makes it easier to have a sincere conversation with your best friend. Saying no to little things makes it easier to say no to things that are bad for us and yes to better things.

Prayer is harder. As a Catholic, I believe that daily, regular prayer brings me closer to my Eternal Father, my Creator. It also makes me realize that there is something so much bigger than myself. There is some objective truth to this. Go stand in the middle of New York City, on top of Mount Everest, or next to the Statue of Liberty, and tell me that you are the center and focus of the universe. If you still think that you whole life is the only important thing, then I suggest that you have your head checked. Reflecting on this (prayer, to some) forces us to examine what we are in relation to the rest of the universe. Consciously considering this place in creation helps us to be more aware of how our actions (or lack thereof) affect others.

I am strongly convinced that these practices of almsgiving, fasting, and prayer can make us better humans – no matter how we view the world. They move us to help our fellow men and women, teach us to have some self-control through our decisions, and make us aware of ourselves in a large universe. This is good for us every day of the year – not just during Lent. But if you are celebrating Lent, have a blessed Lent!