Katie Peterson, 9/8/2011. Catholic Online There is a common practice done by the saints to strengthen their hearts for spiritual warfare. By the world’s standards, this practice looks like it would weaken one’s bodily strength, rather than provide all of the energies one needs to go into battle without fear. To be honest, many of us shrink away at the mention of this practice. The word sends a little chill down the spine, since we are creatures of comfort and this is all about discomfort: fasting.
It seems like we talk a whole lot about fasting during Lent, and we practically forget about it (or intentionally ‘forget’ about it) during the other 325 days of the year. But practicing self-denial and self-discipline is one of the greatest-and, surprisingly, one of the most energizing-spiritual practices in the Church. Did you know that it is recommended that we fast in some way on all Fridays, not just Fridays during Lent? Fasting is meant to help us fight against temptation and energize us for spiritual battle. We should all try to incorporate fasting more into our spiritual lives.
Fasting doesn’t have to always mean eating less during the day. Be creative. Fast from things that bring you comfort: watching a television show you like, listening to the radio in the car, having your beloved morning cup of coffee. You can also fast by “giving up” time. Perhaps you can exchange something you want to do during the day for something that you really should do, like calling a relative to see how they are doing, making a meal for a friend going through a difficult time, etc.
Fasting from temporal pleasures helps turn our sights to the greater pleasures-the eternal ones-and to the virtues. St. Anthony talks about the need for “trampling on all that is transitory.” Sure this will cause discomfort, and sometimes a little bit of pain, but the great monastic recognized the truth of Romans 8:18: “I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.”
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