At the end of the Rains, having accomplished one's vows without a break, one feels that something worthwhile has been done. During the Rains residence, some lay people in Buddhist countries undertake one or two of the austere practices which were allowed by the Buddha for bhikkhus. For an isolated Buddhist who goes out to work, even these two could not be practiced. The One-sessioner's practice means eating one meal in one session a day. Both practices are good for limiting greed for food, for fine flavors and desires for fine textures, etc.
Food is taken by such lay people as a medicine which is necessary to cure the disease of hunger.
It is not used for the satisfaction of sensual desires. Impersonal giving, for instance, having amounts stopped out of one's wage packet, should be avoided as there is little or no good kamma made in such ways. It may be that giving time and sympathy with the effort to help others may be more effective than giving money or goods. The Rains traditionally is the time when lay people have the chance to increase their practice of dana and even though one may not live near to the Sangha there are still plenty of opportunities for giving. There is no basis for comparing Christian Lent with Buddhist Rains-residence, as they do not spring from the same religious ideas, nor have the same purpose, nor apply to the same people.