“And when you fast, be not as the hypocrites, sad. For they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Amen I say to you, they have received their reward. But thou, when thou fastest anoint thy head, and wash thy face; That thou appear not to men to fast, but to thy Father who is in secret: and thy Father who seeth in secret, will repay thee.” – Matt 6:16-18
The Church requires so little of us nowadays fasting, and I suspect most can’t even be bothered. I would wager that, when all is revealed, lack of fasting will turn out to have been a major factor in the advance of evil. The current discipline is the equivalent of almost two full meals… dude, that is literally NOT FASTING. Can’t we try to do better? It really isn’t that hard.
Join me in the 40 hour fast. Nothing but water (and some salt) from sundown (8pm) Holy Thursday, through Noon Holy Saturday. STAY HYDRATED. I promise you won’t die, and you will be a spiritual dynamo during these forty hours. You should center your prayers on your hardest/impossible cases. Also be prepared for some dark night type moments, which is just Satan trying to mess with you during this most holy time.
Blessed Triduum, everyone.
Amen!
I am 66 years old and always excused myself from a full fast because I got migraine headaches. This year, I tried again with water and Himalayan pink salt. It was almost too easy. Now, fasting will be a part of my regular prayer life. Never too late to try. Deo gratias.
Way to go, Darla! Yes, the salt is a MUST. Otherwise you create dreaded electrolyte imbalance, which is why you got those headaches.
Mark, do you do the traditional 40-day fast? Yes, it’s a meal plus two small snacks every day (if you choose to eat the snacks at all.) Also, recommended to give up special things, like coffee, sugar, dessert etc. But 40 days feels like a long time when you’re eating 1 meal a day. That’s what we sedes do.
Faith, I do a modified fast for the 40 days, but it is not the strict observance. I was not referring to the longer fasting rules when I made fun of the current rules. I was poking fun at the notion that the Church now only requires two days of “fasting” the entire year, and even then multiple meals/snacks are allowed. Obviously you cannot fast on water alone for 40 days, and I commend your effort!