What did
Jesus do prepare for his public ministry? He went into the wilderness to fast
for forty days. It was not a diet. That might sound crass but it’s tempting to
look at spiritual fasting as a convenient opportunity to also go on a diet.
Jesus do prepare for his public ministry? He went into the wilderness to fast
for forty days. It was not a diet. That might sound crass but it’s tempting to
look at spiritual fasting as a convenient opportunity to also go on a diet.
Dieting is
about your body and health and fasting is about your soul. It has the power to defeat evil, strengthen
our prayers, and draw us closer to God.
When we fast, we follow the example of Jesus who utilized the power of
fasting before going public.
about your body and health and fasting is about your soul. It has the power to defeat evil, strengthen
our prayers, and draw us closer to God.
When we fast, we follow the example of Jesus who utilized the power of
fasting before going public.
Separate Dieting from Fasting
Even if we
are convinced of the value of fasting, how can we be sure that our motivation
to fast doesn’t get mixed in with dieting? The fact that
weight loss could result from a fast doesn’t have to rob it of its spiritual
power.
are convinced of the value of fasting, how can we be sure that our motivation
to fast doesn’t get mixed in with dieting? The fact that
weight loss could result from a fast doesn’t have to rob it of its spiritual
power.
This is how I keep fasting out of the
realm of dieting. Diets don’t require
losing the satisfaction of the food. As
a matter of fact, making a tasty meal is encouraged when dieting. When I’m fasting, I make
eating about survival and not about enjoyment.
realm of dieting. Diets don’t require
losing the satisfaction of the food. As
a matter of fact, making a tasty meal is encouraged when dieting. When I’m fasting, I make
eating about survival and not about enjoyment.
To fast,
I eat what I don’t prefer. I sometimes use a high protein bread to fast, but for me, the point is going
hungry for a time and also not getting enjoyment out of my food. For instance, not putting dressing on a salad
or eating a plain hard-boiled egg and a piece of bread gives me sustenance but
not much satisfaction.
I eat what I don’t prefer. I sometimes use a high protein bread to fast, but for me, the point is going
hungry for a time and also not getting enjoyment out of my food. For instance, not putting dressing on a salad
or eating a plain hard-boiled egg and a piece of bread gives me sustenance but
not much satisfaction.
The point is to define your
motivation and then identify how your fast will be different from a diet. I once heard a priest speaking about fasting say that
in the Bible, fasting always referred to food.
He said it’s fine to give up other things, but doing without food in
some way, is the expectation of fasting in Scripture.
motivation and then identify how your fast will be different from a diet. I once heard a priest speaking about fasting say that
in the Bible, fasting always referred to food.
He said it’s fine to give up other things, but doing without food in
some way, is the expectation of fasting in Scripture.
Fasting is one of the three pillars of Lent
along with prayer, and almsgiving, but only fasting requires physical
discipline and endurance. We feel the personal sacrifice in our body, just as Jesus
felt his Passion.
along with prayer, and almsgiving, but only fasting requires physical
discipline and endurance. We feel the personal sacrifice in our body, just as Jesus
felt his Passion.
Examples in Scripture
Jesus said in Matthew 6:16: “When you
fast…” not “If you fast…” The first Christians fasted (Acts 13:2-3;
14:23) but it was nothing new. Moses and Elijah had done the same. Fasting and
putting on sackcloth saved the city of Nineveh from destruction in the book of
Jonah. King David said, “I humble myself through fasting” (Psalm 35:13).
fast…” not “If you fast…” The first Christians fasted (Acts 13:2-3;
14:23) but it was nothing new. Moses and Elijah had done the same. Fasting and
putting on sackcloth saved the city of Nineveh from destruction in the book of
Jonah. King David said, “I humble myself through fasting” (Psalm 35:13).
Kings and
presidents once called on their entire country to fast. President John Adams proclaimed a day of fast
and abstinence in 1798 when France threatened war. War was avoided. President
Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national day of fasting in August of 1864 during
the Civil War. The tide turned.
presidents once called on their entire country to fast. President John Adams proclaimed a day of fast
and abstinence in 1798 when France threatened war. War was avoided. President
Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national day of fasting in August of 1864 during
the Civil War. The tide turned.
“Prayer is good with fasting
and alms, more than to store up treasures of gold” (Tobit 12:8).
and alms, more than to store up treasures of gold” (Tobit 12:8).
“Know ye that the Lord will
hear your prayers, if you continue with perseverance in fastings and prayers in
the sight of the Lord” (Judith 4:11).
hear your prayers, if you continue with perseverance in fastings and prayers in
the sight of the Lord” (Judith 4:11).
“But this kind [of demon] can
be cast out in no other way except by prayer and fasting” (Mark
9:29).
be cast out in no other way except by prayer and fasting” (Mark
9:29).
Remove
Obstacles
Obstacles
During Lent a couple years ago, Archbishop WilliamGob of Singapore, called on all of Singapore’s 200,000 Catholics to
fast each Friday on bread and water to promote the New Evangelization. “For
prayer to be effective, it must be accompanied by fasting,” he wrote. “We learn
this from Jesus, our model in evangelization, by looking at how he prepared his
ministry, going into the wilderness where he fasted for 40 days.”
Archbishop Gob
emphasized that adding fasting to “devout and fervent prayers” is the
only way to defeat the “hostile secularism” that is undermining
society. He also credited fasting with removing obstacles while cleansing us
from sin.
But for it
to bear fruit, Archbishop Gob said fasting should be a source to open our hearts to
God and show mercy and charity to others. He recommended doing it in union with
others to benefit from encouragement and mutual support and to pray and read
Scripture together. He also suggested using mealtimes to pray or go to
Eucharistic adoration.
to bear fruit, Archbishop Gob said fasting should be a source to open our hearts to
God and show mercy and charity to others. He recommended doing it in union with
others to benefit from encouragement and mutual support and to pray and read
Scripture together. He also suggested using mealtimes to pray or go to
Eucharistic adoration.
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