Fasting

Discussion in 'Questions and Answers' started by Freedom, Apr 26, 2013.

  1. Freedom

    Freedom Angels

    Feeling a little "at sea" at the moment.
    So today I have decided to begin fasting on Friday and Wednesdays.
    I have felt for some time now this is something I need to do but I've been putting it off with various excuses.

    I've started today with tea and coffee, although I know ideally that's not how it's done, I think I'll have to work up to the water only bit. However, I have decided to try it without bread to make up for the caffeine.
    Is that mad?

    I don't know anyone as who does it so I'd really like to know how you do it.
     
  2. Freedom

    Freedom Angels

    Actually I should correct that, I snaffled two grapes automatically while I was making the kids lunch boxes.
     
    Yellowcoffeecup likes this.
  3. Timothius722

    Timothius722 Archangels

    I try to fast twice a week, sometimes I fail, sometimes I don't. I do it on the days I feel I can do it. I don't adhere to a strick 24 hour fast. I fast from dinner time to dinner time...so around 21 hours. I usually only drink water or coffee...and no food unless I get shakey. You got to work with what works for yourself. Fasting is a good thing... I just don't over do it or be to hard on yourself. God wants us to be joyful about sacraficing.
     
  4. Fatima

    Fatima Guest

    Everything you do and everything that you will be given in the future will be enhanced through fasting. Our Lord showed us the way of fasting and the benefits it has on our soul and physical life.
     
    Booklady likes this.
  5. PotatoSack

    PotatoSack Powers

    that is exactly what I did this week!! I had coffee and did not eat any bread all day to make up for it :LOL:

    I'm really trying to fast myself, as I know it is something I have been called to do. I try to fast 2 times per week, and not necessarily on Wed and Friday, but the days I feel most capable of succeeding in the fast. If my fast is not food, it's on a bad habit I'm trying to drop from my life. So, it is small steps to get to the best fast of bread and water on Wed and Friday. although I do think time is getting to be more of an issue, so I may need to quicken those small steps to larger steps!

    if you do food, fasting from 6pm to 6pm is a good way to start, as opposed to fasting from when you get up to when you go to bed.
     
    Booklady and Freedom like this.
  6. Freedom

    Freedom Angels

    I like that; small steps to get to the best fast.

    It's this evening where I'm going to really struggle. Evening meals together are very important to my non-catholic husband, and Fridays they're really important. We stopped eating meat some time ago, we usually eat a fish curry on Fridays and a glass of wine.
    I am concerned about how I'm going to deal with this since I don't want to simply give in but today will be a hard day. I'm sure Our Lady knows this though and she has good reasons for asking for it.
    But since we ate very late last night for various reasons I can't say 6pm would be a 24 hour fast today.
    Still trying to think how I can appease ones husband this evening...
     
  7. insearch

    insearch Angels

    If Friday dinners are so important for your husband you may want to give up wine but still have a meal with him. Fasting is not a goal by itself it is the means to reach certain goals. If it is going to cause tension between you and your husband - it won't fulfill the purpose.
     
    Yellowcoffeecup likes this.
  8. Freedom

    Freedom Angels

    Not tension exactly, he's too respectful for that, disappointment more like.

    But that's the point isn't it? The sacrifice is giving up something I enjoy, Fridays are important to me too. Who isn't glad at the end of a busy week of rushing around just to 'chillax' in each others company with a nice meal.
    Maybe I'm not understanding this too well, hence my questions really. I knew it would be hard in the beginning but it would become easier once we learned to work around it. There's always Saturday.
     
  9. I find by asking Our Lady for the grace to fast, it becomes much easier.
     
    Beth B likes this.
  10. Carmel333

    Carmel333 Powers

    Bless you for doing this! I too fast from meat (almost) every Friday. I am on a lot of medications for Rhumatoid Arthritis, and although it is hard for me to skip meals, I fast from snacks, eat small meals (like a piece of bread with peanut butter on it) and an orange. I also drink coffee. Talk to your Guardian Angel to help you in this and he will! Once I was really thirsty for a pop after working outdoors, and as I reached for the fridge door I heard my angel clearly say to me "could you not wait 45 minutes for this drink and offier it for poor souls?" I stopped in my tracks! I was very thirsty but I did it!:) We of course can fast from many things, but I think there is something powerful in making the body wait for its food/drink.
     
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  11. insearch

    insearch Angels

    I was reading about Padre Pio and some stories that happened. So there was the story about a girl who wanted to see Padre Pio and her father gave her permission with one condition - she can not kiss Padre Pio's hand because he was afraid of germa. The girl promised.
    When she saw Padre Pio she was very happy and sine everybody was kissing Padre's hand she forgot the promise and in the general motion of the crowd wanted to kiss the hand, but Padre Pio withdrew his hand, smiled and told her "remember your promise"?

    I hope I made my point clear :) in our drive for sacrifice for persOnal reasons one has to avoid the probability of commiting other offenses, which might overshadow the sacrifieces you are making

    p.s. I do not eat meat on Fridays and Wednesdays.I also do not drink alcohol on Friday.
     
    Beth B and Yellowcoffeecup like this.
  12. Freedom

    Freedom Angels

    Thank you for your responses.

    Insearch, I think I see your point. However, I'm trying to work out which sacrifice you mean. Does this mean that, in effect, I'm spoiling the sacrifice by not eating with my husband or the other way round?
    I guess I'm questioning the priority here.
     
  13. Carmel333

    Carmel333 Powers

    If it helps, I try to fast year round, and here is what I do in different circumstances: Firstly, fasting should be an act of love and private, so (unless it is in Lent) if I am attending, say, my protestant Mom in Law's Birthday dinner, and meat is served, I'll eat the meat rather than be in the spotlight about fasting. They don't understand, and have a tendency to think I'm "required" to do these things if I refuse meat or other treats all the time. I am not secretive that I try to fast for God year round to my loved ones and close friends, but there are times when a celebration is in order and it's about doing it in a loving way FOR God. Also, just like prayer, fasting is alot of "getting up and trying again". Just keep trying when you remember. If you fall, move on and get up and try again next Wed or Fri. Hope that helps a little. The desire in our hearts to "do" for God, sometimes, is as beautiful as the actual doing, as long as we don't give up.
     
    Yellowcoffeecup likes this.
  14. insearch

    insearch Angels

    Nobody can decide that except you .My point was that if by making your Friday total fast you offend your husband, or disobey ( exagerration to explain) or make him eventually resent your fast your sacrifice will actually make more harm than good. But as I said you have to decide . It is much easier to make sacrifies which are not connected to others. I love chocolate and ice cream. I did not eat those for almost 2 years as a sacrifiece when I was asking something. But that was much easier than some others which were interlinked with people.

    Anyway I wish you peace in achieving what you want and need.
     
  15. insearch

    insearch Angels

    Sorry for typos - that is the phone
     
  16. Freedom

    Freedom Angels

    I do that ALL the time :)

    I get what you mean now. I ought to be thinking of it as MY OWN sacrifice joyfully offered rather than making it a reluctant sacrifice by making my husband miserable too.
    I'll stay off the wine. And I've just refused a very large piece of smartie covered chocolate birthday cake my son has just offered me, he's just come in from a party. So this makes sense now.

    Still it doesn't take away from the fact that the "gold standard" we should be aiming for is a fast on Fridays. I'll just have to do my best on evenings when my husband goes out with his friends and other opportunities when I'm alone.

    Sometimes being a Catholic is so lonely.
     
    PotatoSack, jerry and Carmel333 like this.
  17. Freedom

    Freedom Angels

    Oh my Goodness :-0

    Mary has just handed it to me!
    He's coming home on the train and he's just texted to say he's had a slap up meal with colleagues at lunch, he's haviving cheese and crackers for dinner.
    I can't believe it.

    Like the mornings I was late for work because I said the Rosary between dropping the kids off at school and going to work - nobody was around to notice. :)
     
    RoryRory likes this.
  18. heyshepard

    heyshepard Archangels

    For the month of September, so far I have been abstaining from the consumption of any alcohol except for the precious Blood of Jesus. I'm doing this in reparation for the coming events. Is this considered as fasting?
     
  19. hope

    hope Guest



    It's certainly fasting from alcohol. I haven't had any alcohol for years now as a small sacrifice. Our Blessed Mother can use all the little sacrifices and fasting we hand her in these times. God bless you heyshepard!
     
  20. Sorrowful Heart

    Sorrowful Heart Archangels

    Father gave a homily recently which he spoke about fasting in relation to the culture of death, and their laws that are going to be moving forward. It was the first homily in my life where I actually saw a Priest encourage fasting.

    Reading the Bible I notice that when the people were facing pending doom or incredible odds they fasted. God then staved off their sentence or gave them victory. I have always wondered why the Church never touched the subject of fasting, which in my opinion should be a sacrament.

    Perhaps the evil that is now in the world can only be banished by fasting and prayer, instead of prayer alone.
     
    Beth B, Mario and Denise P like this.

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