Inbox Inspiration: March 4, 2020 - March 11, 2020: Fasting

Fasting – 1

Dear Friends,
Fasting, along with prayer and charitable giving, has long been one of our core Lenten practices.
As I say this, it is important to recognize that fasting is not an end in itself.
Fasting in itself does not make us closer to God.
Still, fasting or some kind of physical self-denial can be a powerful practice.
It can be simple – like making sure we don’t eat meat on the Fridays of Lent even though we would love to have a hamburger or pepperoni on our pizza.
Or it could be more sweeping – like giving up all desserts for all days of Lent.
Whatever it is, fasting, some kind of physical self-denial, has a place in our spiritual life.
For one thing, it makes us look inside ourselves.
It makes us aware that nothing physical or material can satisfy our deepest hunger.
Only God can satisfy this.
In this way, fasting may lead us to prayer, another of the traditional Lenten practices.
It may lead us to make sure we have some kind of prayer in our lives each day.
For more reflections on fasting, see the Inbox Inspirations for next week, March 11.

“When we acknowledge through fasting that we need God to live, and to live more abundantly, we can begin to desire God in a new way. When we realize we need God more than we need food, we can start to understand what the Psalmist meant when he wrote, ‘Like the deer that pants after water, my soul longs for You.’ God, the sustainer of all life, wants nothing more than a closer connection with us, and through fasting we can quench that new desire for more of Him in our lives.”
From 5 Spiritual Benefits of Fasting in Guideposts (a Web Exclusive) by Brooke C. Obie, JD, MFA. (American, lawyer, novelist, spiritual writer.)

May God be with us and guide us in our journey to fuller life in Christ. Amen.
Father Michael Schleupner

*************

Fasting – 2

Dear Friends, 
As I said last week, fasting, some form of physical self-denial or “hunger,” helps us to be aware that our deepest hunger can only be satisfied by God.
This awareness can lead us to be more prayerful – another of our core Lenten practices.
Additionally, fasting from food can put us in touch with behaviors from which we need to fast.
For example, we may need to “fast” from making the negative points of someone the topic of conversation.
Or we may need to fast from going onto demeaning and offensive Internet sites.
In this way, fasting may lead us to the Sacrament of Reconciliation – something that the Church lifts up for us to consider during the Season of Lent.
Finally, fasting is our free choice of some modest physical hunger.
That may lead us to be aware of those who have no choice but to be physically hungry a lot of the time.
Our fasting may make us more sensitive to those who starve from lack of food or die from contaminated water supplies or flee from oppressive governments.
It may lead us at least to pray for these persons and maybe to contribute something to assist them.
It may lead us to charitable giving – another of our core Lenten practices.
For more reflections on fasting, see the Inbox Inspirations from last week, March 4.

““Fasting is an important discipline because it teaches us to say ‘no’ to our impulses. Feasting is an important discipline because it teaches us to say ‘yes’ to life.”
From The Sacred In-Between by Sister Joan Chittister, O.S.B. (b.1936. American. Benedictine Sister and member of monastery in Erie, Pennsylvania. Author and speaker.)

May God be with us and guide us in our journey to fuller life in Christ. Amen.
Father Michael Schleupner