Lenten Moment

Fasting - 

Some Christians, on their Lenten journey, include certain practices to help them gain some clarity or perspective about life in general, or their own lives in particular.      

One of these practices is Fasting.  Fasting is a practice of abstaining from something enjoyable, perhaps something we feel we cannot live without -something that has become a part of our daily living for example- for a period  of time.  This could be food, could be some modern conveniences, etc.  

This is done for a few reasons; to remind us we are more than just our stuff, to remind us there is more to our lives (and life in general) than what we think to be true.   This is ultimately done to help us return to our core.  This practice has been used throughout centuries (not just in the Christian tradition, but in spiritual traditions across the globe) as a means of gaining some degree of clarity to help one to "take stock" of one's life.    

This below is a short section of a much larger document entitled "Exploring Devotion" put out by the Methodist Church:
 

Fasting as a Spiritual Discipline 

Fasting is often called a spiritual discipline. It is a ‘discipline’ in the sense that we are meant to put it into practice, intentionally. It is only ‘spiritual’, however, when it connects us with the presence of God and the power of the Holy Spirit, as we seek to deepen our discipleship in daily life. This is what Jesus has in mind when he tells the disciples to wash their faces and put oil on their heads as a preparation for fasting (Matthew 6:17). 

John Wesley also describes the discipline of fasting or abstinence as a ‘means of grace’. In other words, it is an activity in and through which God has promised to embrace us, just as we are, with life-transforming presence and power. Through fasting, we can experience the grace of what God has done for us in Christ, to forgive our sins, and we can become more fully open to what God does in us by the Holy Spirit, to help us become more like Jesus. 

Wesley warns us, however, not to turn the means into ends in themselves: 
      * There is nothing inherently transformative about fasting in itself. It is not some kind of magical technique that has the power to change our lives. 
      * There is nothing inherently meritorious about fasting. It is not a way of finding favour with God, or of twisting God’s arm to bless us. 

The discipline of fasting is not rooted in proving how serious we are, or how determined we are to resist temptation, or how desperate we are to see answers to our prayers. These might well be Christian virtues, and benefits of fasting, but the proper motivation is a longing for more of God, a hungering for the godly life and a desire to seek God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength (2 Chronicles 7:14; Zechariah 7:5; Matthew 22:37).

Practical tips for spiritual fasting

• It may not be appropriate or medically advisable to fast food - e.g. if pregnant or if you are involved in work which involves extensive physical exercise etc.

• the purpose of the fast is not to lose weight! The goal of your fast is draw near to God.

• fasting can mean skipping one or two meals, not eating at all between meals, not eating for a day or even three days or more. 

• consider fasting other things than food. Remember that the whole point of fasting is to draw close to God - sometimes other things can get in the way of this. Examples of things to consider abstaining from:-

facebook
chocolate
tea or coffee
computer games

These are just some examples - what is difficult for one person to abstain from may be easy for someone else. Remember that fasting is a personal thing between you and God, so consider carefully something that would be difficult for you to give up (for a period). If it's difficult for you to do then this is probably the best thing to go for!

• Breaking the fast
If you haven't eaten for a while (more than a day) then be careful not to eat too much to begin with, as this can be a shock to your system. This is especially true for long fasts (three days or more), where eating needs to be re-introduced gradually.
If you've been fasting together as a group or church, then why not come together and break your fast with a breakfast!
                               From Lords-Prayers-words.com

Prayer of St. Richard

Thanks be to you, our Lord Jesus Christ,
for all the benefits which you have given us,
for all the pains and insults which you have borne for us.
Most merciful Redeemer, Friend and Brother,
may we know you more clearly,
love you more dearly,
and follow you more nearly,
day by day.
Amen.