A Lenten Reflection: Stewardship, Sacrifice, and Financial Peace in 2026
A Lenten Reflection: Stewardship, Sacrifice, and Financial Peace in 2026
By Clayton Taylor, Financial Advisor - Platinum Wealth Solutions of Texas
As the ashes were traced on our foreheads yesterday on Ash Wednesday, February 18, marking the start of Lent 2026, many of us in San Antonio entered this sacred 40-day journey with a familiar question: What will I give up this year? For Catholics, Lent is a profound time of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, a season to draw closer to Christ through sacrifice and conversion.
In my work helping families and individuals here in South Texas plan their financial futures, I've come to see Lent as a powerful lens for examining our relationship with money. The Church teaches that we are not owners but stewards of God's gifts (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2401–2404). Everything, our time, talents, and treasure is entrusted to us for His glory and the good of others. This Lenten call to reflection invites us to ask: How well are we stewarding our finances? Are we using them to build up the Kingdom, or are we letting material concerns distract us from eternal priorities?
Here in San Antonio, where our economy shows steady job growth in key sectors like healthcare and military support amid modest statewide projections for 2026 (around 1% employment increase per recent Dallas Fed insights), many families still grapple with persistent inflation, higher living costs, and debt pressures. Lent offers a timely reset: a chance to practice financial discipline rooted in faith, leading to greater peace and generosity.
1. Prayer: Seeking God's Wisdom in Financial Decisions
Lent begins with prayer turning our hearts to God. In personal finance, this means inviting the Lord into our budgets, investments, and long-term plans. Rather than viewing money decisions in isolation, we pray for prudence (one of the cardinal virtues) to discern needs from wants. Start small: Dedicate time each Lenten day to review your finances prayerfully. Ask: "Lord, how do You want me to use these resources You've given me?" Many clients find clarity and reduced anxiety when they align their planning with daily prayer.
2. Fasting: Sacrificing for Financial Freedom
Fasting isn't just about food; it's about detachment from excess. Financially, Lent challenges us to "fast" from unnecessary spending—perhaps cutting back on dining out, subscriptions, or impulse buys and redirect those savings toward something meaningful. This mirrors the discipline of tithing or increasing charitable giving. One simple Lenten practice: Create a "Lenten jar" where you place money saved from sacrifices each week, then donate it at Easter to your parish, a charity, or a local San Antonio cause. This small act builds habits of generosity and frees up resources for emergencies, debt payoff, or future goals.
3. Almsgiving: Generous Stewardship of Treasure
Almsgiving is the outward expression of love. Church teaching calls us to give not from our surplus but sacrificially, trusting God's provision. In financial planning terms, this means prioritizing giving (tithing, helping the poor, ect.), then building emergency funds, reducing debt, and investing wisely, while screening investments to avoid industries contrary to human dignity (e.g., through faith-based options). Legacy planning also fits here: Ensuring your estate reflects Christian values, perhaps through charitable trusts or support for Christian charity, so your wealth continues serving others after you're gone.
This Lent, as we journey toward Easter (April 5, 2026), let's embrace these pillars not as burdens but as paths to freedom. By stewarding our finances with prayerful intention, sacrificial discipline, and generous hearts, we honor God and secure lasting peace for our families.
At Platinum Wealth Solutions of Texas, I approach financial advising with this same Christian perspective as a fellow steward helping others align money with faith and purpose. If this Lenten reflection resonates and you'd like to discuss how faith-guided planning can bring more serenity to your finances in 2026, please reach out. I'm here for a no-pressure conversation over coffee or a call.
May this Lent draw you closer to Christ and deeper into joyful stewardship.
In His service,
Clayton Taylor, Financial Advisor