Tag: fasting
The Daniel Fast
While anxiety and confusion are usually the first signs of evil, the devil also likes to do two things in a special way. He likes to lie and create fear. For Satan is a supreme liar, and will whisper into your ears discouragement, disparagement, false notion, umbrage, anger, false memory, exaggeration. He can also make… Read More ›
Hold to the Cross as our sail
Abbess Syncletica said, ‘When you have to fast, do not pretend illness. For those who do not fast often fall into real sicknesses. If you have begun to act well, do not turn back through constraint of the enemy, for through your endurance, the enemy is destroyed. Those who put out to sea at first… Read More ›
Pope Francis announces global prayer vigil for peace on Sept. 7
Vatican City, Sep 1, 2013 / 07:55 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Departing from his typical reflections on the Sunday gospel, Pope Francis used his Angelus audience today to call for peace throughout the world, particularly in conflict-ridden Syria. “I appeal strongly for peace, an appeal which arises from the deep within me,” he said to the… Read More ›
Hospitality and Fasting
We came from Palestine to Egypt and went to see one of the fathers. He offered us hospitality and we said, “ Why do you not keep the fast when visitors come to see you? In Palestine they keep it.” He replied, “Fasting is always with me but I cannot always have you here. It… Read More ›
The power of fasting
Fasting is powerful because when we fast we are detaching ourselves from the world. This allows us to transcend the enemy, who is the prince of the kingdoms of the world. He once offered those kingdoms to Jesus and of course Jesus in His might and girded by fasting refused. We see that even Christ… Read More ›
The goal of fasting
The goal of fasting is inner unity. This means hearing but not with the ear; hearing, but not with the understanding; it is hearing with the spirit, with your whole being. . . . The hearing of the spirit is not limited to any one faculty, to the ear, or to the mind. Hence, it… Read More ›
Fasting
Fasting is about making room. About letting go of a crutch that allows us to get away from inner discomfort, to a place of temporary release from inner pain or disease…though of course it is short lived. It is about food, or perhaps noise, or TV, or drinking, well just about anything. Letting something go… Read More ›
The Sign of God Working in Souls
With this in mind, then, you understand how it is in the spiritual life that the first fruits of the Holy Spirit give joy to those whose hearts he sees to be pure, and yet after bestowing this joy and sweetness on them the Spirit holds aloof and forsakes them. The explanation is this: he… Read More ›
Guard Fiercely again Spiritual Delusion
Even a pious person is not immune to spiritual sickness if he does not have a wise guide — either a living person or a spiritual writer. This sickness is called “prelest”, or spiritual delusion, imagining oneself to be near to God and to the realm of the divine and supernatural. Even zealous ascetics in… Read More ›
Reflecting on Lent
Tonight we are halfway through Lent. We have gone through twenty days and three Sundays. We have twenty days and three Sundays ahead. So it is a good moment to stop and look. What have we been doing with this Lent? Going back and listening to Benedict again: During these days, therefore, we will add… Read More ›