Japan, Lent, and personal feast days
A smorgasboard of thoughts
Hello my beloved friends! I hope Lent is off to a great start.
I’m back after an incredible 10 days in Japan with my parents and one of my brothers, Matthew. We explored Tokyo and skied in Hakuba — truly a dream trip. There were so many things I loved, but here are just a few:
Focus on excellence. The abiding throughline of this trip was how much the people we met focused on being excellent. From the shops to the restaurants to hotels — every single person was committed to creating an excellent experience for the person in front of them. My last newsletter before the trip was on this topic so maybe I was predisposed to look for that, but it really did blow me away.
Children everywhere! The city of Tokyo, and the mountains we skied, were so child-friendly. Every woman’s bathroom stall had a little baby seat in the corner so you could put a baby somewhere while using the restroom. Many of the stalls had kid toilet seats too. I saw SO many kids out and about — and the constant awareness of babies and kids running around made me realize that I need more kids in my life!! Nothing spurs wonder like having kids around and seeing our beautiful world through their eyes.
Mass. Usually, when my family travels, we attend Mass in the local language, but last week we ended up attending Mass in English, which was so good (none of us know much Japanese, so it would have been a tough one). The Mass was gorgeous, and at the end of it we all went outside to burn the palms for ashes and to “bury the Alleluia” — something I had never seen done before! I love being able to attend Mass anywhere in the world, it’s such a gift of our faith.
Skiing in Hakuba. After a few days in Tokyo, we took the train up to Hakuba and enjoyed four incredible days of skiing in the Hakuba Valley, which is a group of 10ish resorts that run across the mountain range. We experienced some of the most gorgeous views I’ve ever seen, and even spent a day zooming around in the backcounttry/off-piste. I’m so grateful to be a skier and to share this with my parents and brother! Also, this was the first ski trip where I used heated gloves + socks and it was life-changing.
Onsens. A big part of Japanese culture, especially in the mountains, is the “onsen.” Let me tell you that NOTHING felt better than coming in after a chilly day of skiing, taking a warm shower, and slipping into an outdoor onsen, or “hot bath.” These baths are nude, and you’re sharing the room with women and girls of all ages, nationalities, and body sizes. One of the things I realized through our experience is how good it probably is for young girls to see so many body shapes and sizes and types, and to be exposed from a young age. As a bath aficionado, I was a big fan of the onsen culture!
This was not the first time that Lent has begun while I’m on vacation, and it’s always a tricky balance to strike. On one hand, the things that I struggle with while on vacation are slightly different from the challenges of my daily life. Usually, I have a sense for what God might be asking me to do in the weeks leading up to Lent, but this year I had nothing. I asked and asked and prayed on it, but the Lord was very quiet. It wasn’t until the morning of Ash Wednesday that it hit me — and it is a good one, something so specific and personal that I couldn’t have come up with it on my own. It was especially (and quickly) humbling, as I failed at my new resolution about 10 times before 11 am that day. I think I’ll share more about my Lenten sacrifice after Easter, but overall I think this will be a Lent of “failing” quite a bit (see day 1 outcome above). However, I also noticed that while I may have failed 10 times, I stopped myself twice in that same time span. God willing, there is much growth to be had, and hopefully I’ll experience it through God’s grace! (This YouTube short perfectly summed up what I’m going for this Lent.)
One more thought on Lent — it feels like every Catholic media outlet/podcast/blog is offering a “program” or series this year — there are SO many to choose from, but it’s also okay to do none of them. I’m reminding myself that the purpose of Lent is to detach from myself and surrender to God, and it can be much more important (and difficult) for me to sit in silence with Him than to spend 30 minutes listening to a podcast or meditation. So this is your permission to release all of the expectations you may have around what Lent should “look like” and instead to stay attentive to what God is inviting you into. He has a much more complete picture of what we need and can handle right now, so let Him lead you in the perfect surrender for you this Lent.
Have a blessed week! Please pray for me (and my jetlag, writing this at 3:47 am on Sunday morning), I’m praying for you!
In Christ,
Jane
What I’m loving lately
I mentioned these above, but HOLY MOLEY I loved them so much! We charged the battery packs overnight, and my toes (perennially frozen while skiing) were so toasty and happy that I forgot they were there (a miracle when skiing).
Pope Leo’s Message for Lent hits
“I would like to invite you to a very practical and frequently unappreciated form of abstinence: that of refraining from words that offend and hurt our neighbor.”
Pope Leo XIV, Message for Lent 2026
God’s sense of humor
One of my best friends and I have younger brothers who are on the same collegiate lacrosse team this spring (!!!), which is truly the most hilarious and wild coincidence, and now our moms hang out at their games. The fact that I met this gal who grew up in Wisconsin at a run club in DC and we both have brothers at college in California at the same time on the same team… You cannot make this stuff up!! I was so overjoyed by this selfie our moms sent us. How freaking fun and funny. Go Bears!
What are your personal feast days?
My favorite rosary podcasters talked about the idea of “personal feast days” on the Ash Wednesday episode (so good, listen below), and I LOVED it. They commented that we celebrate feast days in the church to remember something good that God has done, and there’s no reason not to celebrate our own feast days as well. It was a good place for reflection — what are the most monumental things God has done in my life? I went back and found dates for a shortlist, and now I’ve added them to my calendar! It’s so important and good to remember God’s faithfulness, and this new practice is one I’m super excited about!
What restricts my love?
While I was struggling to figure out what to give up for Lent, I was listening to a podcast I love and Fr. Searby said: “It’s not about being more disciplined. The question is ‘What restricts my love?’” That question set the trajectory for my Lenten fast, and it’s a good thing to pray on!
Prayer intentions
For Marissa and Finn’s new baby, born last week!
For a special intention