This caught my eye today, it's been a theme lately for me it seems. __________________________________________________ What's Fasting Got to Do with It? by Father Dwight Longenecker I posted a video on my blog the other day from YouTube. It was an interview with a Romanian hermit. This grizzled old warrior was asked the most important element in a successful prayer life. He looked away with watery eyes then looked at the interviewer and replied, "Purity of the body." He understood that what we do with our bodies affects our souls and minds and what we do with our souls and minds affects our bodies. Every spiritual tradition teaches the same truth: you must have mastery over your body if you wish to have mastery over your soul. We take it for granted that the hard work of physical self discipline is necessary for many other human endeavors. The dancer, the athlete, the actor, the musician, the politician, the businessman. All agree that for real success they must be in control of their physical appetites. It's the same with spiritual warfare. We have to control our appetite for food, our appetite for sex, our appetite for money, our appetite for sleep, our appetite for every physical comfort. We don't practice asceticism like members of Eastern religions because we think the physical world is sinful or bad in itself, but we do so as a method of self discipline. We control the body so that the soul may open up in silence. We make ourselves hungry for food so that we might hunger and thirst for righteousness. The devil understands that what we do with our bodies affects our souls. That is why he tempts us with physical temptations so successfully. He sees very clearly what we tend to forget: that we are not souls encased in bodies like a water in a jug. Our souls and bodies are intermingled at every level, like water in a sponge. The devil tempts us to physical excess, and if he can get us addicted, he has our souls. The reverse is also true. If we control our physical appetites, we can deprive him of that victory and gain control not only over our bodies and our appetites, but also over him. This is what Jesus meant when he spoke about the demons, “These can only come out by prayer and fasting.” There’s more to it: not only do we gain control over the devil in our own lives by fasting, but fasting seems to release some sort of spiritual power in the world. Through fasting we become more spiritually alert and aware and God is able to use us more effectively. Fasting makes us a lean, mean fighting machine. So resolve to fast more. Try giving up a meal once a week to start with. Fast on bread and water if you must eat. Then start to keep Fridays as a fast day. Not just the ‘fish on Friday’ thing, but really fasting for a whole day. You’ll be amazed how it transforms your life. You’ll be back in control. If you can control your food intake you’ll soon have better control of the other appetites in your life that are running away with your soul. And when you’ve done that, you're on the way to cooperating with God for the salvation of souls and victory over evil in ways you could never have imagined.
Lee, St John Vianney said you can ask anything of God when you fast. I only read this about a week ago and it gave me such a good feeling to know that when I fast, whatever I ask for will be delivered in whatever way God see's fit. I've been to St Patricks purgatory twice in my life. Its a pilgrimage. Lough Derg is what it's called in Ireland. Its an island near the village of Pettigoe in Donegal in the north of Ireland. You have to fast for 3 days, beginning at 12.00 the night before you arrive on Lough Derg. For your time there you are not allowed footwear. You get to have a "meal" of bread, toast, oat crackers and tea or coffee (without milk and sugar is allowed) once a day. You have to do over the 3 days prayers called Station's.The first night is spent in the Basilica (which is breathtakenly beautiful) saying while walking around the Basilica the Stations (you are not allowed to sleep the first night). Mass is said at 7.00am that morning and the sunrise (if you get the great weather) is most spectacular. I remember all that I asked God for -mostly impossible might I add-was given over the following year. Fasting is powerful- I must go again this year! Siobhan
What great hope with St. John Vianney's statement, I'll take that promise as my own. And what a pilgrimage, only for the stout hearted it sounds like, but what a challenge. If I'm not mistaken I believe that someone on the forum has undertaken that pilgrimage before. I remember the bare feet, no sleep and the fasting...maybe Maryrose? I can't recall now. You would have to return to your life a completely changed person. And of course fasting would take on an entirely new dimension.
This is so inspirational to me. Thank you for the post, can you tell me how you prepared and how you progressed? Were you away or maintaining your daily duties?
Seven days! Sean I personally would'nt be able to do that! Is it a particular fast I mean for something personal or is it a general one that you do occasionaly? Do you get any hassle from your family? Do they wonder why you're not eating? I do my two days-wednesday and friday and I have to say its quite challenging but very beneficial. I have to make sure I can get nice bread from a particular shop (tried other bread but was nearly gagging on it!) and make sure that I'm not going out to any social engagement. My husband forgets that i'm on my fast sometimes and sends me up lovely tea and toast in the morning and I don't have the heart to remind him that I'm fasting so I have to find a way to get rid of it without saying anything! Siobhan Siobhan
Oh I laughed right out loud with that one. I do the same thing! I'd never want to hurt my husband's feelings. I managed the Wed. Fri. fasts as well but I'm fascinated with doing a longer one.
Yes I did Lough Derg as well and its a great experience. I will probably go again this year. I struggle with the Friday and Wednesday fasts. My husband does it also and he is much better at it than me but I keep trying. I find the biggest problem is cooking but its much better since David decided he was going to do it. Mary
Great stuff! I never knew so much fasting went on -on this forum! Great to know you also did the Lough Derg thing as well Maryrose-I'm in good company! Lee as well you know, white lie's become the norm when you're fasting. I would think of them as a venial sin. I'm not lying, but I'm not telling the truth also!. My husband say's he can't keep up with me-am I fasting or not. I was on an anti-biotic last week and could'nt fast( because I have to eat by law of the doc!) I had promised Garabandal that I would do my fast last friday for Cearin but had to put it off until wednesday just gone... Anyway I myself have had to tweak it that I would do my fast twice a week and here's what I've come up with-I start on tues eve and finish on wed eve-eat thur-fast on thur eve until friday eve. I've figured out that if I fail because I've tried to do it to the letter of the law-everyone fails (not me personly but everyone I'm praying for). I've looked this up and it seem's to be acceptable in the world of fasting. On another note-while we're talking about Louth Derg- I met 2 young girl's up there who fasted Wednesday's and Friday's- I can't tell you how much we were all impressed! 2 Young Girl's! Where would you get it. They were early 20's i'm sure- I certainly was'nt thinking in that way in my 20's- I had far more interesting things on my mind at that age! Fasting was the furthest from my mind! Another thing Maryrose! If you don't want to cook stuff when you're fasting-have things in the freezer that are easy to defrost- As in cook in bulk for the family in advance- things like bolognese and chillli con carne-make it as easy on yourself as possible! -And in future can all of us give handy hints to make it easier -(or a bit more palatable) HA HA!
Something happened and I was blocked from posting for a bit there...my guardian must have come to bat for me. Great tips on the cooking bit. Oh how I struggle with that. I always think if I make an abstaining meal for my family they will get the hint that there's more to this sacrifice thing...but I could make non-meat and meat dishes and freeze them as well. Fr. Slavko said that the day before the fast we should be praying in preparation for the fast. I'm impressed with the young girls fasting as well. It reminded me when I was in Medjugorje there was a young girl there, in our group who was so dedicated to the undertaking of fasting, prayer, penance that she walked up Cross Mountain without her shoes. She wanted to give it all to Mary! And she was 9! Her oldest sister wasn't that touched nor were her parents but she had a sparkle in her eye and she was on fire, there was no stopping her. I have a friend who who's Grandmother used to fast all of Lent. She lived only on the Eucharist. At 80 she took off her glasses and didn't need them any more, at 85 her arthritis vanished. I know there's lots more to discover in fasting, but I think I have a hard head and it takes some trial runs for me. The method you described for fasting is the one Padraig uses as well. It seems to work well.
My fast was two meals a day, one at lunch and at evening, no breakfast. Usually I would have snacks during the day, so this fast was quite challenging. But a fast like this is manageable over a period of a few continuous days, whereas a fast on bread on water is not (it would actually be unhealthy to fast on bread and water for more than three or four days) I fasted for poor sinners, for the Holy Souls in Purgatory, and as penance for my sins. What a lot of people don't realise is that fasting gives us the opportunity to pray when we would otherwise be eating, for fasting without prayer is ineffective. So if you give up a certain meal you have the chance to pray at that time, which multiplies the effectiveness of the fast, making the offering much more pleasing to Jesus.
Lee that's a great story about the 9 year old girl-out of the mouth's of babe's! And the grandmother story-how did she survive on just the eucharist alone- I used to read a book on Eucharistic Miricles(can't remember who it was by) and I remember there was a woman-don't remember her name and she only ever took the Eucharist-no food whatsoever. If anyone has any info on fasting, or any good website's I would really appreciate it. Just when I thought I knew it all.........!!!! Siobhan
from Sister Emmanuel I found this on Children of Medjugorje, it encouraged me, I hope it does the same for you. Lee Fasting also prepares us to work for God and to accomplish His will. Think of Jesus in the Gospel, for example. Each scene in His life shows us the Father’s careful preparation of His Son for the Cross. His Baptism by John in the river Jordan marked the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry. Instead of attending to the people right away, where did He go? He was driven into the desert by the Spirit where He remained for forty days, fasting and living among wild beasts. At the end of this period Satan tempted Jesus three times, trying to compromise His obedience to the will of the Father. Jesus was prepared through fasting and could carry out the plan of God for His life. Everyone has been given a special mission to fast by Our Lady, even priests. I was graced to meet Fr. Zdenko, a holy Franciscan priest who lived in Siroki Brijeg, near Medjugorje. He slept on the floor and fasted regularly. Through his ascetic ways and unending love for God, he obtained many favors from the Lord. He not only had the gift of healing, but he could read peoples’ souls as well. In spite of his rustic ways, he became immensely popular, ministering to people from all over ex-Yugoslavia who came to visit him. If someone had a problem, they would need only his blessing to be better and sometimes healed. He was so well loved that when he passed away, thousands came to his funeral mass. One of my Croatian friends from Medjugorje, Ivica Dodig, told me the following story from her grandmother, who was a childhood friend of Fr. Zdenko. One day the Lord spoke to this humble priest and said, “Zdenko, would you accept to fast on bread and water for seven years?” He answered, “Yes.” He then fasted for seven years and on the last day of the seventh year the Lord spoke to him again, “Zdenko, would you accept to add an eighth year to your fast?” Again he said, “Yes.” Guess what the date was of the last day of the eighth year? June 24, 1981 - the date of the first apparition in Medjugorje! It’s needless to give any more explanations. Who knows how the great works of God are prepared? Only in heaven will we find out these secrets. What was so special about this man? He prayed and fasted with all his heart, listening to God’s needs and working with Him! And see how many lives were saved! We too can do so much good through prayer and fasting! Our Mother warns us that peace is particularly threatened these days. She is asking us to renew fasting and prayer, and to realize that much of what will happen depends on our prayers. By teaching us to fast, Our Mother is giving us the key to God’s mercy and heart! This act of mercy enlarges our hearts. Not only will we be fasting for our child, our husband, our wife or our parish priest, but we will also be enlarging our heart to the dimensions of God’s heart. Fasting urges us to grow in humility and to forgive one another. Through prayer and fasting, the Lord strengthens His Divine Presence in us and His powerful Spirit reaches all those who are in need throughout the world. Fasting is like invisibly taking people who are walking in darkness by the hand and communicating light and joy to them. It helps them to bend down on their knees and say, “O Father, I thank you for the gift of life and for the joy of life that I have found again.” We’ll become the extended hands of God for the unbelievers who wander in darkness today.[fade]
Initially I found fasting very difficult and asked God for the grace to fast. I usually fast between one and three days per week when I am working. And I have developed my own routine. On my fast day I usually fast by missing breakfast and lunch [not having eaten from the evening before] but will take dinner that evening. So usually I fast for about 20 hours not eating anything at all in that period but I do like a wee cup of tea or two!! I hate anyone knowing that I am fasting so I keep it to myself. I have a rule that if someone at work offers me a cup of tea and a biscuit then I accept it as a gift from the Lord and thank him for it. I think it is important to building slowly a routine of fasting that suits our lifestyles asking God for guidance. It is like anything in life - moderation is required. If we have a particularly physical job then I think it would be wise to err on side of caution. But as I mentioned fasting is a grace - we can ask for God's help to do it. Fasting is a means to an end - to enable us to know, love and serve God better.
Ithink the greatest fast we can make is to offer God anything, large or small with complete and total love. He accepts it all again with great love.
