Fasting question

[Jumaj]

Hi,
I would like to ask you,
I have a friend who needs to find his way to Christ and deepen his faith.
There will be one event, to which I have been looking forward ever since September.
Would fasting from that event provide him the knowledge of God he needs?

 

[GratefulFred]

Any foregoing of THIS world to provide time to focus on Christ is a good thing.

Love is putting the Loved One First. Between God and the world, putting God first is act of love.

But that is NOT to say that ONE act of “God First,” automatically results acquiring the knowledge of God that one needs.

We cannot know God well enough on this earth. Life is truly a journey toward greater knowledge of God. But life is also a journey of using that knowledge in SERVICE to God. We are expected to do God’s Will on earth as it is in Heaven.

When one takes enough positive steps toward God, increased knoweldge will come. Not automatically, but by actually taking time to read and study and enjoying that effort.

Fasting often provides the inspiration to study.

 

[LegoGE1947]

Any foregoing of THIS world to provide time to focus on Christ is a good thing.

Love is putting the Loved One First. Between God and the world, putting God first is act of love.

But that is NOT to say that ONE act of “God First,” automatically results acquiring the knowledge of God that one needs.

We cannot know God well enough on this earth. Life is truly a journey toward greater knowledge of God. But life is also a journey of using that knowledge in SERVICE to God. We are expected to do God’s Will on earth as it is in Heaven.

When one takes enough positive steps toward God, increased knoweldge will come. Not automatically, but by actually taking time to read and study and enjoying that effort.

Fasting often provides the inspiration to study.

I prefer to go on a SLOW fast!

 

[Jumaj]

Thank you for your responses,
but would this mean, that the best thing for all would be a total fast from all worldly delights (those who are not sinful)?
but I thought, that missing out that event would be great for him, because I really want to go there (quantity would be exchanged for quality)
That event is on Sunday and would take cca 4-5 hours.
On the other hand, I could go to Mass on Saturday and sacrifice the rest of Sunday for Lord.

I wanted to ask, that if I already spend some time with the Lord, if I need to sacrifice to Him more time., because if all I did in one day would be prayer and meditation, it would be really unhealthy for my soul, wouldn’t it?

 

[GratefulFred]

There are those who reject this world and live a cloistered life in monasteries. They must work at something to provide an income, but they fast and pray much of the 24 hour day all their adult lives. They do it for the LOVE of God. But few are called to that rigorous life.

Regular lay Catholics are expected to fast - 2 meals rather than 3 in a day - only on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. And we are expected to abstain from meat on Fridays in Lent. We are encouraged to make some sacrifice on every Friday in the year. Abstaining is good.

So those are the two extremes. Most to least.

In between, it is a matter of personal devotion as to what to give up, when, how often, how long for the sake of our love of God.

We can fast and sacrifice as part of our prayer of petition, as well as part of our prayer for forgiveness, for thanksgiving, and for simple adoration of God.

Right intention is key to any personal devotion. To want to be seen as fasting or sacrificing takes away from the value. The best efforts are accomplished quietly, in ways that others may not realize.

 

[1ke]

Hi,
I would like to ask you,
I have a friend who needs to find his way to Christ and deepen his faith.
There will be one event, to which I have been looking forward ever since September.
Would fasting from that event provide him the knowledge of God he needs?

Only the Holy Spirit can lead your friend to Christ.

There is no guarantee that giving up the event will equate to your friend becoming any more religious than he is now.

 

[Jumaj]

Allright, thanks for your caring responses.
I’ve got one more question,
Do we know, whether is fasting more effective, when we fast from something we really want and set our time for Lord there, in comparison to not doing something else we do not want so much?
And, wouldn’t fasting from something make the Holy Spirit pity us more and help us more?