Prayer and fasting

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momtomanykiddos

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Hello,

I don’t post much here…I just lurk 🙂

I have a question in regards to prayer and fasting.

I’m a new mom to our sixth child. She’s only six weeks old and I’m nursing her, so fasting food wise isn’t really an option. I’m not planning on going out and downing a milkshake or eating a pack of chocolate chip cookies either…but I can’t skip meals.

I’m on my second novena to Our Lady of Knots for several intentions, one of them specifically for healing for my 3 year old who is not speaking. I already have one child who has autism (he is 6 years old and made leaps and bounds). I was praying yesterday during my time of quiet prayer (I’m a Secular Carmelite), and it came to me that I should pray this novena again (I just finished before Penecost). Next week is the Queenship of Mary. Two incidents of Our Blessed Mother…and that, as a mother, she understands why this means so much to me.

But then, this morning, after saying the Rosary, I had the insight that fasting was equally important. I’m thinking giving up FB. That’s a big time waster for me.

I feel like I should do something else, especially in regards to food. Perhaps give up something I like to eat but don’t need to eat?

Was just wondering if anyone had any other ideas.

Thanks 🙂
 
Fasting doesn’t have to be a total abstinance from food. You can give up a food you like, or something you like. It’s a about self mortification.
 
Congratulations on your new baby! My 8th little one just turned 3 months and she is also nursing, so I get where you are coming from. One thing that I have done in terms of fasting, instead of skipping meals, is giving up eating unneccessarily. I eat only what is needed-nothing more.

I will add you family to my prayers. I have two autistic sons. My oldest (20), and #3 (12) are both on the spectrum. Be aware, though, that not talking at age 3 doesn’t always point to autism. Don’t give up hope. Things will work out. Lots of people will be joining you in prayer. And I like the idea of “fasting” from Facebook. I think I’m the only person without a Facebook account, but I know my sister spends a lot of her free time on there. And it would be hard for her to give it up. Not a bad form of fasting
 
Giving up something that you really like but is not a necessity is fasting! Your desire for mortification is seen by God who knows your heart. God bless you and yours I pray.
 
momtomanykiddos said:
Hello,

I don’t post much here…I just lurk 🙂

I have a question in regards to prayer and fasting.

I’m a new mom to our sixth child. She’s only six weeks old and I’m nursing her, so fasting food wise isn’t really an option. I’m not planning on going out and downing a milkshake or eating a pack of chocolate chip cookies either…but I can’t skip meals.

I’m on my second novena to Our Lady of Knots for several intentions, one of them specifically for healing for my 3 year old who is not speaking. I already have one child who has autism (he is 6 years old and made leaps and bounds). I was praying yesterday during my time of quiet prayer (I’m a Secular Carmelite), and it came to me that I should pray this novena again (I just finished before Penecost). Next week is the Queenship of Mary. Two incidents of Our Blessed Mother…and that, as a mother, she understands why this means so much to me.

But then, this morning, after saying the Rosary, I had the insight that fasting was equally important. I’m thinking giving up FB. That’s a big time waster for me.

I feel like I should do something else, especially in regards to food. Perhaps give up something I like to eat but don’t need to eat?

Was just wondering if anyone had any other ideas.

Thanks 🙂
Click to expand...
God blesses us so abundantly that there is no shortage of things we can give up for him.

First, I would strongly recommend speaking with your confessor or a spiritual director before committing yourself to any form of penance. This is for your own good, not only so that you can figure out a penance that doesn’t harm you given your state in life but also to avoid the temptation to spiritual pride so attends so closely to rigorous penances.

One thing I do on occasion is keep my showers very cool; not quite cold, but cool enough that I can never get comfortable. (This also keeps my showers short and saves on the water bill!) Typically I will turn the water ice cold for the last 30 seconds or so and say a few penitential prayers (I like the Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be, and St. Michael’s Prayer). I don’t do this all the time, it’s more just when I feel a strong need to do penance.

Of course as has been said you can also give up particular foods or other comforts. I had one friend who kept a small pebble in his shoe, not large enough to cause problems but just enough to be sort of uncomfortable. And also just large enough that he could never fail to notice its presence, so that it reminded him to pray all throughout the day.

Finally, don’t forget that prayer can also be penitential. Consider supplementing your prayers with a daily chaplet of divine mercy or composing your own. I wrote a “Penitential Office” for myself, modeled along the lines of the Divine Office, making use of the penitential psalms, relevant readings, etc. It’s on the longer side, maybe 15-20 minutes to pray, which just makes it heavy-duty penance!
 
Another good form of fasting is for the tongue! Give up speaking and commenting on absolutely everything! My downfall is my big mouth at times. I generally eat only what I need and I am considered “old” (not in MY mind, but still…) so I can only do a moderate fast because of health issues. My most difficult fasting is keeping my tongue still. I think you get my drift here. Most of us could do with a lot less commentary on other people’s lives! Try it for one day and you’ll see what I mean! God bless you and your babies!
 
So wonderful to read about such a good mother. God bless you and the example that follows your sincere piety.

Yes…find some other form of abstinence or self denial. Less TV, fewer interior complaints, more smiles for your big family.

God bless.
 
What about eating something that is healthy but you don’t like? I’ve occasionally eaten tomatoes as a form of voluntary penance.
 
momtomanykiddos said:
Hello,

I don’t post much here…I just lurk 🙂

I have a question in regards to prayer and fasting.

I’m a new mom to our sixth child. She’s only six weeks old and I’m nursing her, so fasting food wise isn’t really an option. I’m not planning on going out and downing a milkshake or eating a pack of chocolate chip cookies either…but I can’t skip meals.

I’m on my second novena to Our Lady of Knots for several intentions, one of them specifically for healing for my 3 year old who is not speaking. I already have one child who has autism (he is 6 years old and made leaps and bounds). I was praying yesterday during my time of quiet prayer (I’m a Secular Carmelite), and it came to me that I should pray this novena again (I just finished before Penecost). Next week is the Queenship of Mary. Two incidents of Our Blessed Mother…and that, as a mother, she understands why this means so much to me.

But then, this morning, after saying the Rosary, I had the insight that fasting was equally important. I’m thinking giving up FB. That’s a big time waster for me.

I feel like I should do something else, especially in regards to food. Perhaps give up something I like to eat but don’t need to eat?

Was just wondering if anyone had any other ideas.

Thanks 🙂
Click to expand...
One way is to eat plainer; potatoes without butter, bread without the spread, water in place of coke or coffee, eggs without salt or pepper, sandwich without the ketshup, and so on.

Or you may just thank God for the inconveniences and irritations of the day when they happen so you have something to offer him in self control.

I might add that it would be good to run it by a priest to see what he thinks of whatever you decide to do. The reason is that sometimes the devil knows that if he can over tax us, then we become more irritable and the penance works against us instead of for us. You already have 6 children. Frankly that would be a lot right there to handle. And whatever the priest would tell you, it then would have God’s blessing.
“And they’ll know we are christians by our love, by our love, Yes they’ll know we are christians by our love.” (hymn)
 
Thank you all! This was great…and I almost fell out of my chair when I read the suggestion on fasting from speaking! Boy, yesterday I kept catching myself (or Someone was showing me?) how snappy I am and how much I complain! I kept thinking, “Boy, I am realllly irritating” Ha!

7armyrugrats, thank you SO much for sharing your story. I hope it’s not autism, I really do. But, I feel like I sort of have to prepare myself in case it is. My 6 year old was diagnosed at 3, and it’s been a tough, tough road. He’s made so much progress, but he had (and still does, but we are either used to it or manage it better) so many behavioral issues at the time that made it a lot harder. My 3 year old has a sweet disposition, it’s just the speech for now.

I actually need to make an appointment with my spiritual director. I haven’t seen him since right before I delivered. He’s a wonderful Franciscan friar, and always directs me accordingly. I will give his office a call and set something up.

I am giving up FB as of today. It is a waste of time, and I’ve been feeling an inner tough to become a bit more “hidden” in regards to the world of social media. As a good Carmelite friend once said, FB was sort of something that didn’t compliment the life of prayer. Or a busy mom. LOL.

I love the shower and pepple idea. These are all wonderful. I’ve decided to give up a food I “like” as well.

Giving up something is a lot harder than you would think it would be. There is definitely an attachment there.
 
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