This year the season starts on February 14th (Ash Wednesday) and ends on March 25th (Annuncication of the Lord). The traditional fast of 40 days does not include Sundays.
Purple is the season’s colour, though this gets complex near Easter. Red is used from Passion Sunday or Palm Sunday.

In other contexts there may be great wisdom in adopting Lent as an identifiable season of preparation for Easter. All of us need to sanctify our calendars and make clear that nothing in the winter and springtime of the year—not Valentine’s Day, not spring break, not March Madness, not even the hockey playoffs—is as important to our identity as Jesus’ death and resurrection.

Readings

Lent
Year B		 First reading Psalm Second reading Gospel
Ash Wednesday
February 14, 2024
ART — PRAYER		 Joel 2:1-2, 12-17
or
Isaiah 58:1-12		 Psalm 51:1-17 2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:10 Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21
First Sunday in Lent
February 18, 2024
ART — PRAYER		 Genesis 9:8-17 Psalm 25:1-10 1 Peter 3:18-22 Mark 1:9-15
Second Sunday in Lent
February 25, 2024
ART — PRAYER		 Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16 Psalm 22:23-31 Romans 4:13-25 Mark 8:31-38
or
Mark 9:2-9
Third Sunday in Lent
March 3, 2024
ART — PRAYER		 Exodus 20:1-17 Psalm 19 1 Corinthians 1:18-25 John 2:13-22
Fourth Sunday in Lent
March 10, 2024
ART — PRAYER		 Numbers 21:4-9 Psalm 107:1-3, 17-22 Ephesians 2:1-10 John 3:14-21
Fifth Sunday in Lent
March 17, 2024
ART — PRAYER		 Jeremiah 31:31-34 Psalm 51:1-12
or
Psalm 119:9-16		 Hebrews 5:5-10 John 12:20-33
Liturgy of the Palms
March 24, 2024
Sixth Sunday in Lent
ART — PRAYER		   Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29   Mark 11:1-11
or
John 12:12-16
Liturgy of the Passion
March 24, 2024
Sixth Sunday in Lent
ART — PRAYER		 Isaiah 50:4-9a Psalm 31:9-16 Philippians 2:5-11 Mark 14:1-15:47
or
Mark 15:1-39, (40-47)
Annunciation of the Lord
March 25, 2024
ART — PRAYER		 Isaiah 7:10-14 Psalm 45
or
Psalm 40:5-10		 Hebrews 10:4-10 Luke 1:26-38
Italicized readings, complementary to the standard reading, may be used with, or in place of it.

Sources