Isaiah proclaims the word of the Lord: fasting means feeding the hungry and clothing the naked. How does this
Tag: fasting
Some Notes on Fasting (Or Why Doing “Something Extra” for Lent is Not Enough)
The conversation starts as Ash Wednesday approaches: “What are you giving up for Lent?” Over the years I’ve heard people respond, “I’m not giving anything up this year. I’m doing something extra.” I used to be one of them - that is, until I realized that isn’t enough. That “something extra” can be a great…
Continue reading ➞ Some Notes on Fasting (Or Why Doing “Something Extra” for Lent is Not Enough)
How to Choose a Lenten Penance
Lent is a great experience of spiritual solidarity for Catholics. We fast together, pray together, and fall in love again with the central beauty of our faith: suffering never has the last word, and always has meaning in light of the cross. The spiritual practice of fasting has the unique capacity to remind us of…
Redeeming Our Relationship With Food
For something so essential to our survival, food poses challenges for many of us. Our society oscillates between a perspective that glorifies food, and one that demonizes it. And that does not remain external to us; we often place a moral value on food that we transfer to our sense of goodness or worthiness. I…