FASTING - A LENTEN SPIRITUAL PRACTICE

This is a great article on 'Fasting '
I could not do better !

http://www.catholicregister.org/home/item/13887-fasting-time-for-a-fresh-look


Biblical References for Fasting and what they, that is what God teaches us:

The ultimates of fasting

+ Isaiah Chapter 58 Verse 6 – 8

Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the thongs of the yoke and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh? Then shall your light break forth like the dawn and your healing shall spring up speedily; your righteousness shall go before you, the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.

As a sign and means of conversion:

+ 1 Samuel Chapter 7 Verse 6

So they gathered at Mizpah and drew water and poured it out before the Lord and fasted on that day and said there, “We have sinned against the Lord.” And Samuel judged the people of Israel at Mizpah.

+ 1 Kings Chapter 21 Verse 27

And when Ahab heard those words, he rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his flesh, and fasted and lay in sackcloth, and went about dejectedly.

Fasting is often communal ~ the reason why all the church faith community fasts specifically in Lent. It unites us as a Faith Community.  

+ 1 Kings Chapter 21 Verse 11 - 12

And the men of his city, the elders and the nobles who dwelt in his city did as Jezebel had sent word to them. As it was written in the letters which she had sent to them, they proclaimed a fast and set Naboth on high among the people.

+ 2 Chronicles Chapter 3

Then Jehosaphat feared and set himself to seek the Lord and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.

+ Nehemiah Chapter 9 Verse 1

Now on the twenty-fourth day of this month the people of Israel were assembled with fasting and in sackcloth and with earth upon their heads.

Biblical warnings against improper fasting. Fasting is to bear fruits.

Certainly if fasting from coffee causes you to be grouchy – don’t fast from that !

+ Isaiah Chapter 58 Verse 4

Behold, you fast only to quarrel and to fight and to hit with wicked fist. Fasting like yours this day will not make your voice to be heard on high.

+ Gospel of St Matthew Chapter 6 Verses 16 – 18

And when you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head  and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

Fasting before a major decision spiritually ( and physically ) inspires you

+ Acts of the Apostles Chapter 13 Verse 1 – 2

Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a member of the court of Herod the tetrarch and Saul.  While they were worshipping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Then after fasting and praying they laid hands on them and sent them off.

And hey Jesus, Son of God, our Lord did it ….. that’s good reason for me !

+ Gospel of St Matthew Chapter 4 Verse 1 – 2

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And He fasted forty days and forty nights.  

A LENT 2014 CHILDREN / YOUTH CALENDAR

 The calendar (below) runs from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday. Each day, family member reads the day’s suggestion for giving and drops a few cents into a jar.  On Day 2, for example, three cents are requested for each room in your house. The suggestions relate to the basics – healthy food, clean water and warm, comfortable living – that Canadians often take for granted but that seem so luxurious to families living in developing countries. This allows even young children to reflect on their relative wealth and to act on their generous impulses.

Ash Wednesday           - How many people are in your family?
                                     Put in 2 cents for each person.

March 6                 - Put in 3 cents for each room in your house.

March 7                 - How many bathrooms are there in your home?
                                     Put in 20 cents for each one.

March 8                 - Put in 2 cents for each electrical plug in your home.

March 9                  - Put in 5 cents for each bed in your home.

March 10                 - Count the blankets on the beds in your house.
                                     Put in 2 cents for each one.

March 11                 - How many chairs are there in your house?
                                     Put in 2 cents for each one.

March 12                 - Put in 5 cents for every water tap in your home.

March 13                     - Put in 3 cents for each piece of fruit in your fridge.     

March 14                     - Put in 50 cents for each car your family owns.

March 15                       - Put in 5 cents for each glass of milk you drank today.

March 16                       - How many windows are there in your house?
                                      Put in 2 cents for each one.

March 17                       - How many eggs are there in your fridge?
                                      Put in 3 cents for each one.

March 18                     - If you own 10 stuffed animals, put in 50 cents.
                                      If you own more than 10 put in $1.

March 19                       - Put in 3 cents for every year you have lived.

March 20                      - Count the pairs of socks you own.
                                      Put in 2 cents for each pair.

March 21                      - Put in 2 cents for each time you use water
                                      today for drinking and washing.

March 22                     - Put in 20 cents for each TV in your home.

March 23                     - Put in 10 cents for each wastebasket in your home.

March 24                     - How many stairs are there in your home?
                                      Put in 2 cents for each stair.

March 25                     - Put in 5 cents for each box of cereal in your cupboard.

March 26                     - If you have any pets, put in 25 cents.

March 27                     - Put in 2 cents for each bottle of water in your house.

March 28                     - If your family owns a computer put in $1.

March 29                     - Put in 1 cent for each CD your family owns.

March 30                     - Put in 2 cents for each light in your home                                                 

March 31                     - How many cans of soup are there in your pantry?
                                      Put in 2 cents for each.

April 1                     - If you own more than 20 books, put in 50 cents.

April 2                     - Put in 5 cents for each pair of shoes you own.

April 3                     - If you own a bicycle, put in 25 cents.

April 4                     - Put in 50 cents for each movie
                                     you have been to in the past month.

April 5                      - Put in 2 cents for each pair of pants you own.

April 6                      - Count the number of times you ate today.
                                      Put in 5 cents for each time.

April 7                      - Put in 2 cents for each shirt you own.

April 8                      - If you ate out in the past two weeks, put in 25 cents

April 9                      - Did you throw out any recyclable cans or bottles today? 
                                      Put in 50 cents if you did.

April 10                      - If you ate any food today that was packaged in plastic,
                                      put in 25 cents.

April 11                     - Put in 10 cents for each telephone in your home.

April 12                     - Put in 5 cents for each movie or game you rented this month.

Palm Sunday April 13     - Put in 10 cents for each plant in your home.

April 14                         - Put in 2 cents for each DVD you own.

April 15                         - Put in 25 cents for each hour of TV you watched today.

April 16    - Put in 5 cents for each toiletries item or cosmetic you used today (toothpaste, shampoo)

Holy Thursday April 17 - Put in 5 cents for each piece of bread you ate today.

Good Friday April 18    - Put in 5 cents for each drink you had today.

Holy Saturday April 19 - Put in 50 cents for each family gathering
                                    you have or attend this weekend.

Easter Sunday April 20  - TODAY  IN UNION WITH
                                          ALL YOUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS

                                          TRULY ENJOY
                                          THE RESURRECTION OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST!

*  GOD BLESS!   *  ENJOY YOUR LENTEN JOURNEY!  *

PRAYER AND GOOD WORKS FOR LENT 2014

PRAYER is the lifting of one's mind, heart and body to God.
This communion with God always leads to GOOD WORKS communion with other.

For Catholics the PRAYER of LENT
is Sunday Lenten Mass and daily Lent Mass

Attend and celebrate Lenten Mass as often as possible.

It is the way that we meet God
in Word, Sacrament, Community, Prayer and Service.

 

Biblical basis of the Eucharist.

Gospel of St Luke Chapter 22 Verse 17 - 20

Then, taking a cup, He gave thanks and said, "Take this and share it among you, because from now on, I tell you, I shall never again drink wine until the Kingdom of God comes. Then He took bread, and when he had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me." He did the same with the cup after supper, and said, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood poured out for you."

Likewise in the Gospel of St John

Jesus links the Last Supper and Eucharist with SERVICE

Gospel of St John Chapter 22 Chapter 12 - 15

When He had washed their feet and put on His outer garments again He went back to the table. "Do you understand", He said, " what I have done to you? You call me Master and Lord, and rightly; so I am. If I, then, the Lord and Master, have washed your feet, you must wash each other's feet. I have given you an example so that you may copy what I have done to you."

Likewise St Paul states in his First Letter to the Corinthians Chapter 11

For I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, "  This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me."
In the same way he took the sup also, after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me."

Likewise for Catholics the Sacrament of RECONCILIATION ( CONFESSION )

is all important in our spiritual preparations.

Here we meet God who forgives us and loves us unconditionally.

Biblical basis for Sacrament of Reconciliation:

Gospel of St Matthew Chapter 16 Verse 16 - 19

So I say to you ( Peter ): You are Peter and on this rock I will build my church. And the gates of the underworld can never overpower it. I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven; whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. "  

Likewise in Gospel of St John Chapter 20 Verses 20 - 23

The disciples were filled with joy at seeing the Lord, and He said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father sent me, so I am sending you." After this He breathed on them and said,"Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone's sins they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any there are retained."

STATIONS OF CROSS

This PRAYER is a wonderful way to meditate on the Passion of Jesus

History of Stations of The Cross

This is a good article on Stations of The Cross
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/stations_of_the_cross_date_back_to_the_fourth_century/

There are many versions of Stations of The Cross

Search and book mark one.
www.catholic.org/clife/prayers/station.php
or from Vatican 
 http://www.vatican.va/news_services/liturgy/2013/documents/ns_lit_doc_20130329_via-crucis_en.html
or as follows:

• Opening Prayer
• 1st Station: Jesus is condemned to death
• 2nd Station: Jesus carries His cross
• 3rd Station: Jesus falls the first time
• 4th Station: Jesus meets his mother
• 5th Station: Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus to carry his cross
• 6th Station: Veronica wipes the face of Jesus
• 7th Station: Jesus falls the second time
• 8th Station: Jesus meets the women of Jerusalem
• 9th Station: Jesus falls a third time
• 10th Station: Jesus clothes are taken away
• 11th Station: Jesus is nailed to the cross
• 12th Station: Jesus dies on the cross
• 13th Station: The body of Jesus is taken down from the cross
• 14th Station: Jesus is laid in the tomb

There are indeed other meditations
Pope Benedict, then as Cardinal Ratzinger
composed the following Stations of The Cross:

1.    Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane,

2.   Jesus is betrayed by Judas and arrested,

3.   Jesus is condemned by the Sanhedrin.

4.   Jesus is denied by Peter

5.   Jesus is judged by Pilate,

6.   Jesus is scourged and crowned with thorns,

7.   Jesus takes up His cross,

8.   Jesus is helped by Simon to carry His cross,

9.   Jesus meets the women of Jerusalem,

10. Jesus is crucified,

11.  Jesus promises His kingdom to the repentant thief,

12. Jesus entrusts Mary and John to each other,

13. Jesus dies on the cross,

14. Jesus is laid in the tomb.

LENT 2014

Ash Wednesday begins the 40 days of the Season of Lent for all Christians
PLEASE DO ADD COMMENTS AND YOUR INSIGHTS OF LENT 2012

DID YOU KNOW ?

+ LENT derives from sources as Anglo-Saxon ‘lencten’ meaning ‘springtime’.

    In the 2^nd century Christians fasted and prepared for two days; by the 3^rd

    century this was extended to all of Holy Week and by the 4^th century

    to the now familiar 40 days.

+ FORTY represents the 40 years that the People of Israel traveled the desert with

   Moses ( from slavery to freedom) and the 40 days that Noah was in the ark and   

   the forty days that Jesus was in the desert tempted by the devil.

+ While the Season of Lent is 40 days the Season of Easter is 50 days

    ( Easter to Pentecost) - this is significant. We are to celebrate not only Lent but Easter Season

+ Lent is traditionally marked by three signs of conversion that are biblically based

    a. Almsgiving ( donations of money, time and talent);

    b. Fasting ( purifying and focusing oneself n solidarity with Christ and the poor);

    c. Prayer

These practises are based in the Bible Readings of Ash Wednesday :

Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18

Jesus said to his disciples:
"Take care not to perform righteous deeds
in order that people may see them;
otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father.
When you give alms,
do not blow a trumpet before you,
as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets
to win the praise of others.
Amen, I say to you,
they have received their reward.
But when you give alms,
do not let your left hand know what your right is doing,
so that your almsgiving may be secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.


"When you pray,
do not be like the hypocrites,
who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners
so that others may see them.
Amen, I say to you,
they have received their reward.
But when you pray, go to your inner room,
close the door, and pray to your Father in secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay 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 be fasting,
except to your Father who is hidden.
And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you."

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ONE OF MY FAVOURITE LENTEN POEMS :

PRAYER FOR A PATH OF BLESSING

Fast from pessimism; feast on optimism

Fast from critism; feast on praise

Fast from self-pity; feast on joy

Fast from bitterness; feast on forgiveness

Fast from idle gossip; feast on silence

Fast from jealousy; feast from love

Fast from discouragement; feast on hope

Fast from fear; feast on faith

Fast from anger; feast on patience

THIS YEAR I WANT TO FAST FROM .......

THIS YEAR I WANT TO FEAST ON ........