What Is Fasting and Why Should I Fast?
?Fasting is typically described as abstinence from food and/or drink. While modern-day fasting is mainly known for achieving better health, fasting is best known as a religious devotion. Jesus never said, "IF" you fast. Instead, Jesus said "WHEN" you fast...
Matt 6:16-17
?16 ?When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 17 But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face
The fact that Jesus and the disciples sanctioned it by their own example. There are many passages that demonstrate sufficient justification for its practice both in biblical times as in modern times as well.
Many Christians use fasting as a form of penance, yet I believe it goes much deeper than mere abstinence or penance. To me, fasting and prayer are the way to achieve a deeper and much closer relationship to our Father in heaven. When we combine fasting with prayers from our hearts, we are asking not only for forgiveness for our sins, we are helping to improve our worthiness. When catastrophe strikes, to ward off evil when evil is upon us, or receive an answer to a prayer.
So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and he answered our prayer it is important to fast and pray.
According to Jesus, fasting and prayers are both acts of offering and love towards the Father ?who is unseen and yet ?sees all that is done in secret? (Matt 6:18). Jesus himself undertakes forty days of fasting in the desert to prepare himself to fulfill His duty for the salvation of men and the triumph of God's love.
Our Lady, Mary, mother of Jesus, in Medjugorje asked us to fast only two days per week, Wednesdays and Fridays. She further explains that we should fast on bread and water unless elderly or sick.
On July 21,1982 Medjugorje; Mother Mary said...
"The best fast is on bread and water. Through fasting and prayer, one can stop wars, one can suspend the natural laws of nature. Works of charity cannot replace fasting... Everyone, except the sick, has to fast.
If you are unable to fast, you may consider doing good works or doing some other form of penance as an offering to our Lord; say a rosary, visit an adoration chapel, or maybe even say some prayers for the Holy souls in purgatory.
So, why does Mary suggest those two days? And why fast only on bread and water?
To understand this, we must go back in time to the ancient writings of the first apostles and the roots of the church; These instructions are called the "Didache." Its full title originally was "The Lord's Instruction to the Gentiles Through the Twelve Apostles."
This ancient document laid down instructions to the church for the first Christians. (around 90 A.D.) It stated, "You shouldn't fast on the same days as they hypocrites, for they fast on the second and fifth day of the week, you should instead fast on the fourth day and on the day of the "preparation," better known to us as Good Friday, the Parasceve, the day before Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath.
So why should we fast?
Jesus tells us in Mark 9:28-29 that 28 After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, ?Why couldn?t we drive it out??
29 He replied, ?This kind can come out only by prayer and fasting."
We have to realize the power of fasting. In recent messages from Our Lady, she tells us "You have forgotten that with prayer and fasting you can ward off wars, suspend natural laws."
By combing prayer with fasting, we increase the power and efficacy of our prayers. This is especially important to remember when praying for a special or urgent intention. By prayer and fasting, we allow our whole being to participate, offering our sacrifices to God. We should also fast because we love God and want to be soldiers that offer our bodies in the battle against evil.
One last thought, with prayers and fasting we are letting God know we are totally dependent on Him to fill all our temporal and spiritual needs. Discover more on our Live the Fast Website.
Let's close in payer... please say one Our Father, a Hail Mary, and a Glory Be.
Amen.
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