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Hi, Juan —
You said:
- Is there a specific
description on how we should fast?
e.g. nothing but water all day
long, something light in some
part of the day.
I don't know.
FROM THE CATECHISM
V. THE MANY FORMS OF PENANCE IN CHRISTIAN
LIFE
1434 The
interior penance of the Christian
can be expressed in many and various
ways. Scripture and the Fathers
insist above all on three forms,
fasting, prayer, and almsgiving,
which express conversion in relation
to oneself, to God, and to others.
Alongside the radical purification
brought about by Baptism or martyrdom
they cite as means of obtaining
forgiveness of sins: effort at
reconciliation with one's neighbor,
tears of repentance, concern for
the salvation of one's neighbor,
the intercession of the saints,
and the practice of charity "which
covers a multitude of sins."
1435 Conversion
is accomplished in daily life
by gestures of reconciliation,
concern for the poor, the exercise
and defense of justice and right,
by the admission of faults to
one's brethren, fraternal correction,
revision of life, examination
of conscience, spiritual direction,
acceptance of suffering, endurance
of persecution for the sake of
righteousness. Taking up one's
cross each day and following Jesus
is the surest way of penance.
1436 Eucharist
and Penance. Daily conversion
and penance find their source
and nourishment in the Eucharist,
for in it is made present the
sacrifice of Christ which has
reconciled us with God. Through
the Eucharist those who live from
the life of Christ are fed and
strengthened. "It is a remedy
to free us from our daily faults
and to preserve us from mortal
sins."
1437 Reading
Sacred Scripture, praying the
Liturgy of the Hours and the Our
Father - every sincere act of
worship or devotion revives the
spirit of conversion and repentance
within us and contributes to the
forgiveness of our sins.
1438 The
seasons and days of penance in
the course of the liturgical year
(Lent, and each Friday in memory
of the death of the Lord) are
intense moments of the Church's
penitential practice. These times
are particularly appropriate for
spiritual exercises, penitential
liturgies, pilgrimages as signs
of penance, voluntary self-denial
such as fasting and almsgiving,
and fraternal sharing (charitable
and missionary works).
1439 The
process of conversion and repentance
was described by Jesus in the
parable of the prodigal son, the
center of which is the merciful
father: the fascination of illusory
freedom, the abandonment of the
father's house; the extreme misery
in which the son finds himself
after squandering his fortune;
his deep humiliation at finding
himself obliged to feed swine,
and still worse, at wanting to
feed on the husks the pigs ate;
his reflection on all he has lost;
his repentance and decision to
declare himself guilty before
his father; the journey back;
the father's generous welcome;
the father's joy - all these are
characteristic of the process
of conversion. The beautiful robe,
the ring, and the festive banquet
are symbols of that new life -
pure worthy, and joyful - of anyone
who returns to God and to the
bosom of his family, which is
the Church. Only the heart Of
Christ Who knows the depths of
his Father's love could reveal
to us the abyss of his mercy in
so simple and beautiful a way.
You said:
Jesus said
somewhere in the Gospel (around
Matthew 6) that when we fast,
no one else should know what
we are doing (only our Father
who sees in secret).
- What about
those people in the work place
who you can't seem to get off
your back?
I wouldn't worry about them, just
ignore them and remember what Our
Lord said about those that persecute
you...(your reward is in Heaven)
You said:
- There will
always be someone out there
who pops the question: "Are
you fasting? "
- What
do I do?
Great, this gives you the chance
to explain the Catholic Christian
faith. 1 Peter 3:15 states:
15 but
sanctify Christ as Lord in your
hearts. Always be ready to give
an explanation to anyone who asks
you for a reason for your hope, 16 but
do it with gentleness and reverence
The answer to give is:
During Lent, Catholics in the
United States abstain from meat
on Ash Wednesday and on all the
Fridays of the season. They fast
on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.
They are encouraged to continue
the fast on Holy Saturday as well,
in union with those preparing
for baptism. On a fast day, people
eat only one full meal; they may
also eat two partial meals and
should not snack between any of
them.
The laws of fast and abstinence
may vary from one country to another;
however, they accomplish the same
goals.
They help us imitate the example
of Jesus, who fasted 40 days to
prepare for his ministry.
They help us display our common
repentance. More than declaring
our personal desire for conversion
of heart, they strengthen our
community by expressing our corporate
sorrow for social sin.
They teach us a detachment from
passions and turn our hearts more
toward God and less toward food.
They make us more disciplined
and more charitable.
The purpose of fast and abstinence,
then, is not to punish us but
to make us more loving, more prayerful,
more detached from whatever may
keep us from God.
Fasting becomes more spiritually
effective when sustained by other
practices such as prayer, charity,
and almsgiving. The prayers at
Mass during Lent presume that
the community is supporting its
prayer with fasting and its fasting
with prayer.
Everyone age 14 and older is bound
by the law of abstinence. Younger
children are to be educated in
its significance. Other Catholics
are expected to avoid meat on
Ash Wednesday and the Fridays
of Lent no matter how old they
become. However, fasting binds
from after one’s 18th birthday
until after the 59th. Catholics
younger and older than that need
not fast on Ash Wednesday and
Good Friday. Nonetheless, fasting
is a praiseworthy penitential
practice, even when it is not
required.
Throughout the year Catholics
fast from food and drink one hour
before sharing Communion.
Hope this helps,
Mike
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