Fasting

[the lords sheep]

I'm really bad at fasting too, but some Sisters that I know gave me some real insight on fasting. They are very creative, but they also recognize that the food they eat is vital for them to properly live and serve in their ministry. They fast all year long by never eating between meals nor before mass, so when it comes to lent, they have to be pretty creative so as not to jeopardize their ministry. As a community, they try to give up the majority of spices, using only what's necessary and not to taste. Can you imagine not adding salt or pepper to your food for the entire 40 days of lent?

They also may choose to eat something they don't particularly enjoy so as to get the nutrients they need but still mortify the body. Lets say they serve green beans that evening, but a Sister doesn't really like green beans. As part of her "fasting", her bodily mortification, she may not only eat the green beans, but a second serving of them.

This kind of fasting, they explained to me, is more difficult than simply giving up something. It's fasting from self-centered and self-gratifying ways, and its beautiful to be able to offer these little difficulties to our Lord.

On a side note, some "creative" fasting I've done:
Go to bed earlier to get up to pray earlier (i'm a real night owl, but the silence of the morning, especially when I was in college, was great for prayer)
Give up the elevator and only take the stairs (I used to live on the 6th floor)
Take shorter showers (I love a hot shower when its really cold outside! 3 minutes, in and out, is never enough when it's only 30 degress out!)
One of my friends who eats only "tan" food (pasta, bread, coagulated milk, sweets) and meat ate two "colorful" foods a day (broccoli, peas, apple, banana, you get the gist...)
Someone I know gave up coagulated milk for lent once, which I thought was creative.
I gave up listening to the radio in the car (and I had a 45 min drive to school)

God bless you in seeking to sacrifice for Him!

[Selah]

I've been doing 2 meals a day lately. I'm too scared to do one, lol.

[alicemary]

Again, I must say procede very carefully. It is not healthy nor appropriate for young people not to eat. Be careful that this does not become more of an obsession then a religious aid. Nuns in community have the support of others to help maintain this and they are adults. You certainly need fresh fruits and vegetables and fluids are vital to the body. Eating bread and water for a teenager is not an appropriate thing to do, it can be dangerous. Please, please take care and treasure your body.
To the adults on this phorum, kindly be very careful in giving suggestions that might be harmful to someone who is 14 or 15 years old. They may not quite understand how this is not good for them or someone younger.

[the lords sheep]

[quote name='Selah' post='1660019' date='Sep 20 2008, 01:17 PM']I've been doing 2 meals a day lately. I'm too scared to do one, lol.[/quote]


I would speak with both a doctor (for health reasons) and spiritual advisor/director/ or priest (for spiritual reasons) before proceeding to do only one.
And even then, I would make the practice a special thing to do every once in a while, rather than a typical thing. Sometimes fasting or our ability to abstain can become a source of pride, ie "Look how great my faith is that I can fast and live on only one meal a day" I know I struggle greatly with this. It's a way that Satan gets us.

[Lilllabettt]

[quote name='misereremi' post='1660005' date='Sep 20 2008, 04:34 AM']I think if it’s not a Church mandated fast, then it’s better to accept food rather than to offend someone. My two pence.[/quote]


The Franciscan version of poverty says, eat what ever is set before you.

When I was a postulant, I attended a little party thrown by one of the community's friends ... it happened to be a Friday, and the hostess asked me to pass a tray of sausages around!

At that point in my formation, I was a bit bewildered as to what to do. But the Sisters, being true to the Franciscan spirit, ate the sausages. We made a sacrifice of extra prayer that day.

[jckinsman]

I have not gone here in a few days and I just loved the tips to take to heart about fasting. I have a freind that may use it as a way to lose weight, in the "name" of fasting. I also have another freind to whom can get a wee bit prideful with it. All to which makes me run from it every time. I know how powerful that it is ,done properly,and for the Lord. I also know how hard it is to do it faithfully and regularly. I hope that we can get someone to "pin" a regular fast. Once or twice a month,all for the same intention on the same day etc. Something that we can all do as a "phamily" We will see

I think that really we are heading into really interesting times. Maybe the elections coming up should be a "bread and water" one. Very important that a pro-life canidate gets in.

[misereremi]

[quote name='alicemary' post='1660057' date='Sep 20 2008, 05:50 PM']To the adults on this phorum, kindly be very careful in giving suggestions that might be harmful to someone who is 14 or 15 years old. They may not quite understand how this is not good for them or someone younger.[/quote]
Agreed, my bad. I should stress that none of the people I know who follow the twice a week bread and water fast (which they have taken from Medjugorjie ) are in their teens, of ill health, of old age, or pregnant or nursing, or with infirmities, or strenuously exercising, or doing gruelling manual labour, etc.

Young people can look to the instruction of St John Bosco given to young Saint Dominic Savio, who was told not to fast or to mortify his flesh by penances, because it would be detrimental to his health. He was asked to do all his duties with humility instead- and was told that obedience is the greatest sacrifice. In fact, I think Bl. Mother Teresa said obedience is the protector of all the virtues.

[quote name='Lilllabettt' post='1660146' date='Sep 20 2008, 09:21 PM']The Franciscan version of poverty says, eat what ever is set before you.

When I was a postulant, I attended a little party thrown by one of the community's friends ... it happened to be a Friday, and the hostess asked me to pass a tray of sausages around!

At that point in my formation, I was a bit bewildered as to what to do. But the Sisters, being true to the Franciscan spirit, ate the sausages. We made a sacrifice of extra prayer that day.[/quote]
lol! I love the Franciscans.