As we begin the season of Lent, on Ash Wednesday, it is always good to contemplate the invitation to fast. The practise of fasting is prevalent in the Bible, but it is something that seems to have fallen out of favour in the modern Church.
Jesus would have fasted as it was a common Jewish practise at this time, but he did urge his disciples not to fast with wrong motives: We can read this in – Matthew 6:16 & 6:17 - “When you fast, don’t ….”
As you think about what you may want to fast from this year, I offer you some other thoughts on Fasting - this time from Pope Francis. THE BEST FASTING:
- Fast on
offensive words and transmit only sweet and tender words
- Fast on
dissatisfaction and fill yourself with gratitude.
- Fast on
anger and fill yourself with meekness and patience.
- Fast on
pessimism and be filled with optimism
- Fast on
worries and be filled with confidence in God
- Fast on
laments and take pleasure in the simple things of life.
- Fast on
stress and fill yourself with prayer.
- Fast on
sadness and bitterness, and fill your heart with joy.
- Fast on
selfishness, and be filled with compassion for others.
- Fast on
unforgiveness and vendetta, and be filled with acts of reconciliation and
forgiveness.
- Fast on
words and fill yourself with silence and readiness to listen to others.
There is lots of food for thought in these words (excuse the pun :)
Living in Grace
D3LM3
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