If I Can Do It, So Can You!

One of the things I like to do during Lent is read spiritual books. This always seems to put me on the right path toward learning more about my faith and how I can improve my prayer life.
As I was searching for reading material, I found a short book from Andrew LaVallee titled, When You Fast: Jesus Has Provided the Solution. Fasting has always been a struggle for me, so I thought that this might bring me some new insight into the spiritual practice.

Prayer and fasting truly go together. In fact, our Blessed Mother has told us time and time again (through many church-approved apparitions) that we need to pray and fast. And fasting has many benefits during our Lenten journey:

• It is encouraged, especially in times of great temptation or severe trials
• It helps us listen better to God (and each other) and to perceive the message more clearly
• It makes a sacrifice to God, not just with our prayer but also with our whole being
• It brings our life of prayer to a deeper level of spirituality and ultimately closer to God

Fasting takes the words of our prayers and converts it to action. Our prayer becomes elevated and creates more awareness through fasting so that we can hear God speaking to us through the Holy Spirit. St. Leo tells us this about the power of fasting:

“Fasting gives strength against sin, represses evil desires, repels temptations, humbles pride, cools anger, and fosters all the inclinations of a good will, even unto the practice of every virtue.”

There are five stones which Our Lady recommends to use against the Goliaths that we face in life:

1. Prayer
2. Fasting
3. The Bible
4. Confession
5. The Eucharist

Let’s start right now focusing on prayer and fasting. For someone who loves to eat, I thought this would be extremely challenging. But with the combination of prayer with the fasting, it has brought about a feeling of spiritual longing that was missing in my daily prayer life.

The typical fasting days would be Wednesdays and Fridays and the fast would last for 24 hours. It is recommended that you start out by establishing the length of your fast. This could be for 12, 18 or 24 hours. Start slowly and work your way up. (NOTE: depending on your health situation, you must check with your doctor before starting any type of fast.)

This is not a foodless fast. The fast would consist of bread and water, and ONLY bread and water. The recommended amount is 8 to 10 ounces of bread per 24 hour fast. Remember, it’s not only about the ‘giving up’ of food, but also the ‘giving in’ to the constant craving of adding prayer into your daily routine.

The Lenten season is meant to rekindle a ‘bright sadness’ within our hearts. It’s aim is the remembrance of Jesus and a longing for a relationship with God that has been lost. Give prayer and fasting a try this Lent. If I can do it, so can you!

When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites. They neglect their appearance, so that they may appear to others to be fasting. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you may not appear to others to be fasting, except to your Father who is hidden. And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you. ~Matthew 6:16-18

Searching for different ways to pray during Lent? Check this out.