Becoming Hungry

We begin our first full week of Lent with our first and simplest answer to the question, “Why do we fast?” We fast to PREPARE. The entire season of Lent itself is a preparation for the celebration of Easter, in which we renew our baptismal promises and encounter the joy of the risen Lord. To that end, fasting is a means by which we prepare ourselves to be filled with the grace of Christ’s resurrection.

Of course, fasting from food is a way to prepare ourselves physically. It increases our self-denial and sense of self-mastery by training us to come face-to-face with the basic instinct of hunger. Furthermore, this recognition of our human frailty can open us to a deeper realization of our dependence on God. All this can prepare us to create a space in ourselves that only God can fill. . . . KEEP READING.

Last week, we explored the idea that fasting is a discipline of preparation, no matter what form it takes. But whether your Lenten fast involves a fast from food or entertainment or whatever-it-is, on some level it will involve SACRIFICE. On some level, fasting is a giving up of something good and an experience of its absence.

But why? Is it because we love to beat ourselves up or just make ourselves uncomfortable for 40 days to “earn” Easter? By no means! Our discipline of sacrifice is a response to God’s sacrifice on our behalf. We believe that Jesus actually existed and was actually human — and that he actually suffered and died on the Cross! This is the sacrifice of all sacrifices, and it was an act of love for you and for me. . . . KEEP READING.

So far, we’ve looked at fasting as a means by which we sacrifice something good — whether food or something else! — so as to prepare ourselves to encounter Christ more deeply. This week, we take a look at the connection between fasting and REST.

The command to rest is at the heart of God’s invitation to all of us. It’s right in the center of the Ten Commandments, and it’s found throughout the entire Old Testament — even in the very first creation story that opens the Book of Genesis! God invites us to rest, to slow down, and to let go of the compulsive need to produce and toil and spin our wheels. From the very beginning, God teaches us that there is something holy about resting and remembering that creation is good. . . . KEEP READING.

At this point in your Lenten journey, you might be feeling more accustomed to whatever practice of fasting you have undertaken. You might be connecting your sacrifice to Christ’s own sacrifice and preparing your heart to receive him more fully through the celebration of Easter. But perhaps your intentional resting from whatever it is that you’ve given up is causing a deeper stirring within you.

This week, we take a look at how fasting prepares us to HEAL. We all seek healing — we all, on some level, desire wholeness in our lives. Every single one of us is at least the tiniest bit broken, and much of this journey of life is about putting the pieces together. Here’s the good news: God wants this healing for you, too! . . . KEEP READING.

Our entrance into Holy Week — and our celebration of Easter — is fast approaching! But before we arrive, we will take a look at one last dimension of fasting. We’ve explored its connection to preparation and Jesus’ own sacrifice on the Cross, and we’ve examined how the practice of resting can lead to an openness to God’s own healing. This week, we take a look at the practice of fasting in solidarity.

Let’s face it: not everyone in this world has the luxury of choosing to fast or not. Whether it’s a fast from food or from infinite scrolling, there are those in this world whose suffering is entirely involuntary. When we choose to go without, we can practice solidarity with those who can’t make this choice. We can do what God has always done: we can suffer with them. . . . KEEP READING.

We have made it to Holy Week, and we are on the cusp of the paschal joy that awaits us as we celebrate the Lord’s resurrection from the dead! So, the question is — do you feel prepared for Easter? Has your discipline of fasting and the sacrifice that comes with it opened your eyes to the importance of Christ’s own sacrifice for you? Do you feel rested and perhaps healed in any way? Are you allowing yourself to be turned inside out in order to suffer with others?

Or perhaps more simply: has your fast led you to become hungry for God?

KEEP READING.