Question on Fasting and Penance

[BlueRain]

I’ve heard father Corapi talk about how important fasting and what it means. I’m a little confused. I’m not just talking about fasting during Lent. I heard that it’s very powerful and gives you spiritua clarity.

I need a better explanation. Also, if you fast, how often is it done and for how many days? Was it more common in the past? I’ve read that many saints used to do that. How does it all relate to penance?

 

[marty1818]

BlueRain:

I need a better explanation. Also, if you fast, how often is it done and for how many days?

For however long you want in whatever manner you want. The main thing you want to remember is that this is for spiritual benefit, so you will not want to endanger your health recklessly. Be responsible in determining the extent of the fast. Some saints fasted for extremely long times, but most of us are not given the ability to do this. In respect to how to fast you can completely abstain from food, only eat bread or some other food, or just deny yourself of a food which you enjoy such as a dessert or meat, etc. Christ tells us that some demons can only be casted out through fasting and prayer, so this gives you an idea of how important fasting can be. Remember that God will accept your sacrifice of fasting in the way you decide. You do not have to do a 40 day fast in the desert in order for God to accept it.

God Bless,
Matthew

 

[jimmy]

BlueRain:

I’ve heard father Corapi talk about how important fasting and what it means. I’m a little confused. I’m not just talking about fasting during Lent. I heard that it’s very powerful and gives you spiritua clarity.

I need a better explanation. Also, if you fast, how often is it done and for how many days? Was it more common in the past? I’ve read that many saints used to do that. How does it all relate to penance?

As Catholics we are supposed to fast every Friday during the year in commemoration of the Passion of Christ. Fasting is a good way to tame your desires and attachments to the world. You can fast for any other days during the week if you would like.

At times in the past there was more fasting. The Sunday fast used to be from midnight till mass.

There is no set number of days you have to fast for, except during lent. You can fast for a day every week or you could take a whole week and fast if you want.

It relates to penance because it is an act in order to get control of your desires.

 

[marty1818]

jimmy:

As Catholics we are supposed to fast every Friday during the year in commemoration of the Passion of Christ.

Just to clarify, we are not required to fast every Friday during the year. We are only required to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. We are however supposed to offer some type of penance every Friday throughout the year. This can be done in the traditional way of abstaining from meat, or by giving up some other luxury. It is also acceptable to give up time to pray a rosary or do some other spiritual exercise as a penance.

matthew

 

[jimmy]

marty1818:

Just to clarify, we are not required to fast every Friday during the year. We are only required to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. We are however supposed to offer some type of penance every Friday throughout the year. This can be done in the traditional way of abstaining from meat, or by giving up some other luxury. It is also acceptable to give up time to pray a rosary or do some other spiritual exercise as a penance.

matthew

True, you can opt to do some equal act.

 

[urquhart]

It should be added that in the Catholic tradition, “fasting” means to eat one normal meal a day. While fasting you may also have two smaller meals or snacks, which together include less food than the normal meal. This is not particularly onerous and can be practiced with benefit by anyone.

 

[prayingmama]

I have a friend who gave up ice cream for the intention of her ex-husband’s conversion.

Here are a few of mine:

not putting sugar in my coffee
skipping the m&m’s after lunch
no wine with dinner
eating the cruddiest leftovers without telling anyone
refraining from a clever remark

 

[BlueRain]

Thank You everyone for clarifying this. Yes, now I understand its meaning. I wasn’t sure how this all fit with ones spirit, but now I see that it is a powerful tool to “cleanse” oneself.

 

[NotWorthy]

I try and fast each Friday for 24 hours (i.e. from Thursday 8:00pm - Friday 8:00pm) without eating entirely. During Lent, I’ll go all the way through Friday. It’s not nearly as hard as I thought it would be.

What does it do for me? It keeps my mind focused (like a lasar) on God. At 10:00am Friday morning I’m hungry. Why am I hungry? Oh yeah, because I’m offering it up to God. By Friday afternoon, God is totally on my mind. Any suffering we do for God can only be a good thing, right?

NotWorthy