Fasting for the next part of Lent

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EllieC

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As we continue on our journey after Laetare Sunday, we are officially halfway through Lent. I have been struggling with my Lenten fast and failing quite often. My desire is that I don’t pass this Lent in vain, so does anyone have an idea of what would be a good Lenten sacrifice/fast for those that struggle with gluttony or intemperance? Thank you to everyone who offers guidance.
 
Dear Ellie,
One of the most difficult sacrifices is to do acts of kindness for others, even when sometimes we don’t feel like it.
You probably already do this, act and speak out of kindness and support to others, refrain from judging and instead offer comppassion, respond with respect and kindness rather than give an angry or impatient response.
This is an avenue of self-discipline which is a living-out of God’s command to love others as yourself.
Even as you exercise a contol of some of your favored but less nourishing foods, if any,
or restrict any excess intake of food, or avoid eating between meals,
the most powerful penance is to choose God above all in the little ways that each day brings,
and give kindness and assistance to others.

Offer all your little kindnesses to God as a Lenten gift, and this can also help us to grown in charity even when Lent is over.
 
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I suffer from it as well. What I used to do (I’m a college student) is fast for just a little bit at a time. 9 PM to midnight were (and are) my major snacking hours, so I would fast from about 7 or 8 o’clock to midnight. I’d start eating as soon as the clock hit twelve, but it’s a place to start.
 
Jesus, You command that we love each other as You have loved us. You add that there is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for others. “Since the Father loved us so much that He sent You to be the sacrifice that takes our sins away, we too should love one another.” [John 4:10-11] “By such love, everyone will know that we are Your disciples.” “Anyone who says ‘I love God’, and hates his brother is a liar, since a person who does not love the brother that he can see, cannot love God whom he has never seen.” [1 letter of John 4:20-21]

It can be difficult to love others when they appear ‘troublesome’, or misjudge or reject us, or when we are weary and preoccupied! Each of us has only our personal consciousness, so that we only know our own feelings and thoughts, and may only imagine another’s. “The depths of a person can only be known by his own spirit, not by any other person.” [1Corinthians 2:1] So how can we truly love ? “Let us love one another, since love comes from God.” [John 4:7] Therefore, Jesus, we may hope for God’s love in us that we may love as You have loved us.

As You have said, to live as Your disciples, as children of the Father, is impossible for humankind—but “ nothing is impossible to God. ” Love begins with awareness that each person is loved child of the Father. Therefore, Jesus, I pray for Your love in me for everyone You bring into my life. I forgive and bless each person who has hurt my loved ones or me. Please ensure that we forgive, however deeply others action or inaction wound us.

You have made us Your brothers and sisters; therefore, we will strive to overcome the difficulties that natural selfishness generates. We seldom must actually die as You did, for another person’s sake. Yet every day there are ways that we relinquish some preference, desire, or convenience for the need or wish of another person. Let Your Holy Spirit carry us lovingly though these little deaths. Love requires that we do so generously, kindly and cheerfully, for reluctance or resentment is not of the love that lays down life for anyone. You wish us to love all whom You in any way entrust to our care, but You also require us to love and pray for our enemies—those who make our lives difficult and painful. Jesus, forgive us for those failures to love them truly. [Matthew. 5:44]
 
If we feel like having a cup of coffee or a soda. Just don’t have that cup. Pray to the Lord and tell the Lord this is a fast for Lent. Small things each day are the best ways to fast. It all adds up.
 
You say that when we do a kindness to anyone we do it for You. [Matthew 25:40]. You teach that the consequence of not living this Christ-love towards others is self-condemnation to that miserable pit where no love penetrates, for all who dwell within have ultimately rejected divine love. Our love “is not to be mere words or mere talk, but something real and active; only by this can we be certain that we are children of the truth.” [John 3:18-19] Your apostle Paul exhorts, “Do not let your love be pretence, but sincerely prefer good to evil. Love each other as brothers should, and have a profound respect for each other…If any of the saints are in need you must share with them; and you must make hospitality your special care.” [Romans 12:9-13]

“Be compassionate as your heavenly Father is compassionate” even to the sacrifice of His beloved Son. “Do not judge others and you will not yourself be judged. Grant pardon and you will be pardoned. Give, and there will be gifts for you: a full measure.” [Luke 6:36-38 ] “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you; in this way you will be children of your Father in heaven, for He causes the sun to rise on bad men as well as good, and His rain to fall on honest and dishonest persons alike…You must therefore be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect.” [Matthew 5:43-48]

“Why do you observe the splinter in your brother’s eye and never notice the plank in your own? How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take out the splinter that is in your eye’…Hypocrite! Take the plank out of your own eye first, and then you will see clearly enough to take out the splinter in your brother’s eye.” [Luke 6: 39-42]

“Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You; or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and make You welcome; naked and clothe You; sick or in prison and go to see You?” Jesus replies “I tell you solemnly, in so far as you did this to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it to me.” “In so far as you neglected to do this to one of the least, you neglected to do it to me.” [Matthew 25:37-40, 45-46]

“Is there a poor brother among you, one of your brothers, in any town of yours? Do not harden your heart or close your hand against that poor brother of yours, but be open-handed with him.” [Deuteronomy 15:7-8] “Each one should give what he has decided in his own mind, not grudgingly or because he is made to, ‘for God loves a cheerful giver.’” [Proverbs 28:2] “And there is no limit to the blessings which God can send you…for yourselves…for all sorts of good works.” [2Corinthians 9:6-8] “None of us lives for himself only.” [Romans 14:7]

“We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves…For Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, ‘The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.’” [Romans. 15:1-3] “Malice must be banished from your tongue.” [Psalm 34:13] “Cease to do evil. Learn to do good, search for justice, help the oppressed, be just to the orphan, and plead for the widow. Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.” [Isaiah 1:17-18]
 
Fast from second helpings, dessert, additional salt, from 3 to 4 PM, snacks… not all but one small thing like this.
 
You can try offering up the food(s) that temps you to others (coworkers, colleagues, if you feel too shy to give to beggars on the street). Like leave it in the kitchen office on the table, so anyone who wants it can have it etc.
 
I started weight watchers so fasting from food kinda seems self serving to me at this time in my life. I don’t want to be all " oh goodie, three more pounds… Oh btw, Lord this was for you" when really I’m doing it for me.

So I’m giving up my favorite phone game, trying to give away forty bags of clutter in 40 days to charity , and reading through the NT in 40 days. …Now that I’ve typed that out I notice I’m gaining even from those things. I gain more time, less clutter, and more knowledge. Guess there’s no way we can make our sacrifices totally just for God without gaining a benefit from it. Also guess that makes Him even happier.
 
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