In this past Sunday’s bulletin I found a new way of fasting
that I thought would be perfect to share. We often think of giving up things during Lent, but behaviors can also be given up to make room to grow in Christian virtue. For example, yesterday, I was driving home from work and this car cut me off and scared me. I was so upset after the incident and was thinking all kinds of nasty things I wanted to yell at the driver and felt this great need to vent. Then I remembered that just hours ago I had read my daily Lenten meditation that said, "when tempted to say something negative about someone today, even if the negative information is true, hold your tongue." So, I turned to God and expressed my frustration. I realized as I put my case before God that the reason I was really upset was because the person in the car who cut me off was rude and this rudeness hurt my feelings. In that moment I realized that I could hold on to the anger or just let it go without it ruining my day. So, I gave it to God (no venting on Facebook needed) and by the time I arrived home I was no longer angry. Little things can really affect and ruin our days if we let them, that's why this list is so important:
1) Fast from hurting words and say kind words.
2) Fast from sadness and be filled with gratitude.
3) Fast from anger and be filled with patience.
4) Fast from pessimism and be filled with hope.
5) Fast from worries and have trust in God.
6) Fast from complaints and contemplate simplicity.
7) Fast from pressures and be prayerful.
8) Fast from bitterness and fill your hearts with joy.
9) Fast from selfishness and be compassionate to others.
10) Fast from grudges and be reconciled.
11) Fast from words and be silent so you can listen.
Lent is a time to grow, to shed imperfections to make room for a new me in Christ. Fasting can help us, if we look past the giving up of "something" as only a way to show that we still the have willpower and see it as a platform for sanctification.
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