A Meritless Fast

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Eliz28

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When is following the human spirit harmful? When it takes account only of appearance and being vain, which often is the case.

In this penitential season of lent, St. Francis de Sales warns of the danger of fasting out of vanity. We no longer are fasting just for God, but for ourselves as well! This is what the hypocrites do, who wear melancholy faces and look thin.



St. Francis scoffs at this, saying that holy saints such as St. Thomas Aquinas were certainly stout, not thin! Rather, it is what is done in secret that will be rewarded.

Reflection:

How much of the human spirit remains in my fasting this Lent?

What resolve can I make to do all for God?
visitationspirit.org/2012/03/humbly-fasting/
 
I agree, and it’s one of the reasons I normally don’t like to talk about what I’m fasting from.

I think we need to fast from thinking we need others to know we are fasting. 😉
 
Fasting during Lent should be out of love for God but that can also mean we love God by being good adminstrators of what he gave us, one of which is our body, which is the temple of the Holy Spirit. Fasting out of vanity is one thing, but out of respect for ourself and to be good care givers is in line with his intentions. Fasting is only as good as the intention. If done from the motive of love and doing his will during this holy season, a second good reason of respecting our body and taking care of it is another good intention for doing what God wants. This should not be a hinderance but an embelishment and another reason for fasting.

Just something to think about.
 
Eliz28 said:
When is following the human spirit harmful? When it takes account only of appearance and being vain, which often is the case.

In this penitential season of lent, St. Francis de Sales warns of the danger of fasting out of vanity. We no longer are fasting just for God, but for ourselves as well! This is what the hypocrites do, who wear melancholy faces and look thin.

http://visitationspirit.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/P1000921-150x150.jpg

St. Francis scoffs at this, saying that holy saints such as St. Thomas Aquinas were certainly stout, not thin! Rather, it is what is done in secret that will be rewarded.

Reflection:

How much of the human spirit remains in my fasting this Lent?

What resolve can I make to do all for God?
visitationspirit.org/2012/03/humbly-fasting/
Click to expand...
I bet there’s some good in fasting even if you take pride in it.
 
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