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In our first article, we saw how the focus of fasting goes beyond the practice of giving up food or drink.
We saw how we can follow a very rigorous self-denial plan, even call it a fast, and still not see any greater freedom in our spiritual lives. No, the fasting that we are called to each Lent is meant to be focused on God and his kingdom. At its heart, fasting is a type of prayer. And like all other prayers, it is meant to honor God and to seek his help as we try to serve him and obey his commands.
Of course, whenever we deny ourselves for the sake of the Lord—and even if all we think about is the food we are missing—God blesses our efforts. But God can do so much more when a surrendered heart is linked with a hungry stomach! Nowhere is this point made more clear than in the Book of Isaiah, chapter…
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I’ve now observed some 43 plus Ash Wednesdays. As a ‘cradle Catholic’, I have vivid, fond even, memories of Lent. From religion class, art class, all things a Catholic grade school could present, to the Sat. afternoon Stations, and meatless Fridays, etc., etc. This articale however, hits the perverbial nail right on the top of my hypocritical head. At work this week, my coworkers and I were discussing fasting during our lunch on Monday the 15th. One girl is Greek Orthodox, and she was eating her meager meal void of oils, meat, dairy,etc. Ther were alot of us Catholics in the room. One of my dearest(Catholic) friends was teasing her and commenting how fasting is more or less ridiculous in these modern times (to paraphrase her). I am going to conjur up the fortitude to share this article with her. It succinctly relates fasting to our very real, ‘modern’ world-rife with oppressed peoples, famine, war, etc. Hmmmm, such progress we’ve made huh?
I also plan to continue to ‘share’ it with myself-throughout Lent. For me it explains fasting as the spiritual exercise I knew it should be, justcouldn’t articulate the meaning as well as you all do. I love being reminded of how God WANTS to GIVE us all good things. Thank you.
Each year for Lent I try to fast from whatever I notice I am too attached. One year it was my bubble baths and some people laughed at me but that’s ok. They didn’t realize how important I had made my bubble bath in my life. I would complain if by chance I had to take a bath without bubbles. I was really too attached to bubble baths. I hate showers but shower is better then bath without bubbles. So that Lent I took baths without bubbles and it was very difficult but I was so grateful on Easter that I had chosen it.
One year I fasted from Pepsi which I had a real addiction to drinking 4-6 24 oz. bottles a day. Since that year I seldom have a Pepsi now once in a while and then it is an 8 oz. one. I try to use Lent to break my addictions. What I find is that as soon as I break one I discover another one so each Lent there is always one to attack in thanksgiving for God’s love.
This year I decided to not play any games on the net and spend the time I normally spent doing that for prayer and reflection. I can’t tell you how many times I have been tempted to play but I don’t because I gave my word. I never run short on addictions/attachments as soon as I conquer one there is always another to take its place that I wasn’t aware of until I conquered the one I worked on previously. I’m glad God doesn’t let me see them all at once as it would be too much for me. God knows best just when to let me see what needs to be taken care of each year.
I took up a class on the net this Lent to spend some to the time I used to play games and it has been very rewarding. I just finished it. It was a phamplet by Alphonsus Ligouri (Not sure of spelling and don’t want to stop and look it up and lose my thoughts) on conformity to God’s Will. Through it and reading others responses as well as making my own I now see making progress in the spiritual life will be easier in that I will focus only on doing God’s Will for me in every circumstance of my life. What does God want from me is the only question I am asking.
I was focusing entirely on prayer but there are times that God wants me to forgo my prayer intention and do something else and not feel guilty as I was prone to do. I now realize that when I seek and do God’s Will for me that is really the prayer God wants at that time. If I am doing God’s Will in everything then I will naturally get in all the prayer time God wants from me.
After Lent I will play some games but I will set a timer so I don’t spend too much time at it and let myself become addicted again.
Lent is a time to focus on Jesus’ passion and death and a time to rid ourselves of our addictions for love of Jesus. We all have our addictions and I’m finding that as soon as I correct one I find another that needs attention so each Lent there is always one fasting of addiction I address.
I am also praying a lot for our country and the things that are happening that are not God’s Will for us.There are so many and I put them all in God’s hands each day and ask His forgiveness in the name of our government and His help in waking up the consciences of our government.
Prayer is a powerful weapon against injustice and immoral behavior.
This Lent is different for me. My fasting each day is for some other person--family member, friend, or someone who is not friendly or has a long-seated dislike for me. It is not out of some sense of superiority I do this, but as was mentioned in the article on the biblical passage, the need to overcome selfishness and self-centeredness. Or one might call that addiction to ourselves. Definitely this reminds me of the need for conversion, change in word and deed. Yesterday I prayed and fasted for an old adversary whom I learned was sick. Fasting, prayer, Mass, and Rosary, and even the Divine Mercy Chaplet. He died that very evening. God is helping me to change my heart. Reconciliation.
This lent is different for me also. I went to Abbey of Gethsemane in Bardstown Kentucky, for 5 days 3/15-3/19/10 and it has made me more aware of everything in my life. I didn’t know anything about the retreat, but a good friend of mine told me that she loved it and I should call and make a reservation. I called and asked to come ASAP. That night I got in a terrible fight with my children in their early 20"s that still live at home and have no respect for me or my faith. The next day Brother Christian called and said that there was a cancelation and that I had the room beginning 3/15/10 which was only 5 days away. I feel that God provided this too me. It is a silent retreat which allows you so much time to be alone with God. There is 1 lecture a day and you are encouragement to join in their praise to our Lord through palsms and a daily mass totaling 7 times a day starting at 3:15 am. There is also a dailey rosary at 7pm.
I must say that this was the most peaceful time I have ever had in my life. I pray all the time, but what I didn’t do until then, was take the time to listen. I was amazed at all the blessings I was missing. I have been praying for several years that I want to spend the rest of my life doing his will unconditionally. I was, and still am prepared to do whatever it is. I am quietly waiting to hear what he is calling me to do. I have always loved the song “Here I Am, Lord”, now I know why. Here I am Lord, is it I Lord? I have heard you calling in the night. I will go Lord, where you lead me, I will hold your people in my heart. Please pray for me, to hear what he is calling me to do, and that I can be his voice to bring others HOME. Praise be to God. Happy Easter.
One more thing. So many people seem to make fun of us for not eating meat on Friday and act like it is no big deal, What this simple act does for me, is remind me how difficult it is to make a small scarifice in my life, and how any fast that I do, is nothing compared to what Jesus did for us. This year, more than the years gone by, I have been spending everyday during lent, remembering all the terrible things Jesus went through for us. The stations of the cross has been so meaningful to me this year. I plan on continuing doing it on my own at least once a week forever. Some of the things that I only use to do in lent, I now WANT to do all the time. It is not a pennace for me to do the rosary, or the chaplet of devine mercy dailey. It is a blessing. It allows me to think about our Lord, and to make me grow closer and closer to him. I want to shout it from a mountain top and in the center of the city to anyone who will listen. I love my Jesus, I trust in him, and I am his to do with as he will for the rest of my days.