Our Catholic faith has always treasured fasting as a means of making an offering to God. Our Hebrew fathers in faith made frequent fasts, as did our early Christian Church. Jesus made fasts, and instructed His disciples how to fast well, too.
We fast by denying ourselves an earthly enjoyment for the sake of remembering, honouring and glorifying the new earth that Christ has won for us. We recall that Christ used His free will to die on the cross to save us from our sins. In turn, we can use our free will to cause ourselves a little discomfort as an act of gratitude and recollection.
Our Tradition holds that there are many benefits to offering fasts. In his “Introduction to the Devout Life”, St. Francis de Sales writes:
“...besides the ordinary effect of fasting in raising the mind, subduing the flesh, confirming goodness, and obtaining a heavenly reward, it is also a great matter to be able to control greediness, and to keep the sensual appetites and the whole body subject to the law of the Spirit; and although we may be able to do but little, the enemy nevertheless stands more in awe of those whom he knows can fast."
We often associate fasting with food restrictions, such as bread-and-water or water-only fasting. These are wonderful, but fasting does not have to have anything to do with food or eating to be just as sacred That’s why we called it ‘Fast as You Can.’ We encourage you to ask the Holy Spirit to inspire you with an offering that is safe, holy, and meaningful for you.
As it says in the Catechism of the Catholic Church (emphasis added):
“The interior penance of the Christian can be expressed in many and various ways. Scripture and the Fathers insist above all on three forms, fasting, prayer, and almsgiving, which express conversion in relation to oneself, to God, and to others...[They] cite as means of obtaining forgiveness of sins: effort at reconciliation with one's neighbor, tears of repentance, concern for the salvation of one's neighbor, the intercession of the saints, and the practice of charity "which covers a multitude of sins." (CCC 1434)
The Catechism further suggests, “spiritual exercises, penitential liturgies, pilgrimages as signs of penance, voluntary self-denial such as fasting and almsgiving, and fraternal sharing (charitable and missionary works)...reading Sacred Scripture, praying the Liturgy of the Hours and the Our Father. In sum, “every sincere act of worship or devotion revives the spirit of conversion and repentance within us and contributes to the forgiveness of our sins.” (CCC 1437-38)
For a great ‘run-down’ on penitential acts and suggested alternatives, we highly recommend Keeping Friday by the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops https://www.cccb.ca/document/keeping-friday/
Let yourself have a little chuckle, and tell Jesus you love Him. That’s really the heart of any of this. Then you can prayerfully re-commit to your fast.
When we get excited about making a sacrifice for Jesus, sometimes we go a little overboard. Maybe your enthusiasm made your fasting goal a little too ambitious. That’s very natural! Prayerfully consider modifying your fast next week.
We are suggesting Friday night until the Sunday Mass (including the Saturday vigil) for its symbolic significance. Our Jewish brothers and sisters share a Shabbat meal on Fridays, as Jesus and the Holy Family would have. The Eucharist, being the Bread of Life, is the perfect way to break the fast from earthly ‘bread.’
However, if ‘Fast as You Can’ means another day of the week for you, then your offering will be no less cherished by God.
