You may have noticed in the last few years, that fasting has made a come back. Not particularly religious fasting, but dietary fasting or “intermittent” fasting. I guess it works! Go figure.
I’ve never been very good at fasting. I grew up in the generation of Catholic lite. Well my mother’s generation knew what it was like to fast and abstain on every Friday of the year and then really dig in during the 40 days of lent. My generation well, we were Vatican II babies. Whatever…
With this global pandemic has come A daily adjustment to our personal and communal landscape. It is definitely not business as usual is it ? I don’t know about you but I’ve noticed that I get a little more irritated a little more quickly. My language has gotten a little more coarse. My distractions have become more intense and in general I have to be more conscious about things — often really stupid things. That’s not all bad — just different.
Fridays in Lent have always been known as days for fasting, penitence, And prayer. As we’re coming toward the end of Lent, I’d like to suggest that all of us fast in a new way during this novel time.
So Let’s fast in a new way. Let’s fast from selfishness and become more giving. Let’s fast from pessimism and be hopeful. Let’s fast from worries to embrace trust, Let’s fast from too many words, and become silent listeners. Let’s fast from judgment to become more understanding. Let’s fast from anger to become more peaceful. Let’s fast from things and become more focused on persons. Let’s fast from being who we think we are supposed to be to become more like Christ for each other.
We’ve been called to do new things as we’ve adjusted to life with this virus, we are truly truly called each and every day to a brand new relationship with Jesus Christ and one another. Believe it.
Perhaps this kind of fasting just might, by his grace, infect the whole world with his love.
