Do not be afraid of anything that you are going to
suffer. Indeed, the devil will throw some of you into prison, that you may be
tested, and you will face an ordeal for ten days. Remain faithful until death,
and I will give you the crown of life.
Christians today are pressed on all sides.
Yes, we are being tested by our government, the press, and the workplace. We
may even find by our own families and neighbors. This is the work of the evil
one; resist him and he will flee. Remain faithful until death by not giving up
hope and when you fall get back up and follow our Lord.
A
Practical Guide to Fasting
Fasting – a word we normally reserve for Lent. Once Easter comes, we
box it up and package it away until the next Lent. Yet this should not be so
among Catholic men. A while ago, Sam discussed the great benefits of fasting.
Now
you may be thinking … Fasting sounds great, but where do I start? … Let’s
take some time to look at the basics of fasting well.
Preparation: It is important to develop a strategy
before beginning to fast. This starts with setting a realistic goal. For
example, you should start simple, such as a bread and water fast for one meal,
one day a week. Also, select your fast day. I recommend Wednesday or Friday, as
these are the two traditional Catholic days to fast, commemorating Jesus’
betrayal and crucifixion. As you grow in fasting discipline, you could increase
your fast to multiple meals on fast day or even multiple days a week.
Water: Water helps purify our bodies of toxins,
while providing only the basic hydration we need to survive. When fasting, make
sure to bring a water bottle with you throughout the day and drink frequently
to stay hydrated. One temptation may be to slip in a cup of coffee or soft
drink during the day. However, stay strong against this temptation. The bread
and water will satisfy your basic needs even if they do not bring the comfort
of your favorite food or beverage.
Fasting Bread
Taken
from Sr. Emmanuels' book[1], "Healing
and Liberation Through Fasting". This bread is very hearty
and really sustains one who chooses to fast on bread and water.
3
cups white flour
4 cups wheat flour
1 pkg dry yeast
1/2 cup of lukewarm water
2 cups of very hot water
1 beaten egg
1 Tablespoon Salt
2 Tablespoons Sugar or Honey
2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil
1 teaspoon of butter
1 cup Raisins (or fresh apple peeled and cut)
1 cup Almonds or Walnuts
1 cup Plain Oats
4 cups wheat flour
1 pkg dry yeast
1/2 cup of lukewarm water
2 cups of very hot water
1 beaten egg
1 Tablespoon Salt
2 Tablespoons Sugar or Honey
2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil
1 teaspoon of butter
1 cup Raisins (or fresh apple peeled and cut)
1 cup Almonds or Walnuts
1 cup Plain Oats
In a
medium sized bowl, dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup lukewarm water. Cover with a plate
and wait a few minutes until bubbly. In a large bowl, combine the flours. Make
a well in the flour and add the yeast mixture. Mix a bit.
Reusing
the now empty medium bowl, combine Salt, Sugar, Butter, Oil, Raisins, Nuts, 1
beaten egg, and the two cups of very hot water. Pour this over the yeast
mixture. Mix/knead the dough, adding flour and or water as needed.
Knead
the dough until it comes clean from the bowl. Cover with a plate or towel and
let it rise ten minutes. (I often skip this step and the bread still tastes
fine) Knead it again until it has spring to it. Place in well greased bowl and
cover, letting it rise until doubled in size, 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending
on room temp.
Form
into desired shapes. This will make two large or three medium loaves. Place in
greased pan. Brush the top with remaining egg (if you did not use it in recipe)
and sprinkle with sesame seeds, oats or poppy seeds, if desired.
Bake
at 375 degrees for 35 minutes, until done and golden brown.
Bread: Selecting the proper fasting bread is
crucial to a successful fast. Since the typical bread we eat is processed and
devoid of most nutritional value, I recommend the bread made by the group, Live the Fast. As a bonus, if you are a priest,
seminarian or religious, they will send you bread free! Their bread is all-natural.
They bake the bread, freeze it, and then ship it to your home along with a
booklet of fasting instructions. Once you receive it, you place it in the
freezer. On fast day, you take the bread out of the freezer and heat it in the oven for a few minutes. The bread is filling but
austere; to give the one fasting the nutrition needed to complete the day’s
tasks and nothing more.
Prayer: While you are heating up the bread, grab
a notebook and write down your prayer intentions for the day. Maybe a friend
has lost a job, a relative is sick, or someone has asked for your prayers. Keep
the list with you and offer up prayers for these people throughout the day. After
the bread is finished baking, take it out of the oven, say a prayer and then
eat your first piece. As you go throughout the day, look for extra
opportunities to pray, especially during meal times. Maybe you could attend
daily Mass or stop to visit the Blessed Sacrament during your lunch break. Intentional
prayer during fasting helps remind us that fasting is not purely an ascetical
practice. We forgo food to grow closer to God, not to show how tough we can be
on our bodies. The hunger we experience while fasting instills in us the truth
that nothing in this world can satisfy us but God alone.
Temptations: You will undergo many temptations while
you fast, so stay close to God in prayer. One may be to boast to your friends
about how great you are for fasting. Jesus warned us in the Gospel that those
kinds of people are hypocrites. The purpose of fasting is to draw us closer to
Christ, not draw others closer to us for our own greatness. Another temptation
may be free food. Just like during Lent when meat becomes more available and
appealing on Fridays, expect more temptations to eat during the fast. A
co-worker may offer you a snack or tell you about some leftovers from a
department’s lunch in the break room. Stay vigilant against these temptations
and focus your mind on other things. The
less you think about food during the day, the easier it will be to fast
.
Breaking the Fast: End your fast day with a prayer. Thank
God for the day and then prepare a normal sized meal. The temptation can be to
gorge yourself with food after eating less during the day, but this is not
beneficial. Eat your meal slowly and mindfully. Thank God for the gift of food
and the grace he gave you to fast well. Just like any other habit, fasting can
be difficult to begin and you may want to quit. You will have days where you
fast well and others where you give into hunger easily. Do not be discouraged
but persevere! God has great graces for those who fast and will help draw near
to him those who seek him through the discipline of fasting.
“Fasting
purifies the soul. It lifts up the mind, and it brings the body into
subjection to the spirit. It makes the heart contrite and humble, scatters
the clouds of desire, puts out the flames of lust and enkindles the true light
of chastity.” (St. Augustine)
There are many and varied ways in which sin
and evil are presented to us in an attractive way.
The
New Age Movement
·
Although
virtually unknown a few years ago, this movement is gaining in popularity on an
international level. On the surface it appears to be a "peace"
movement, but in my estimation, it definitely belongs to the occult. This is
because it presents some basic characteristics that are identified with the
occult, even though Satan is not mentioned.
·
For
example, the "god" of the New Age is not the God of Christianity and
Judaism. The New Age god is more like an impersonal energy or force of which
the whole universe consists. This is a form of pantheism. For us God is Creator
and Lord of all. We are his creatures. In the New Age, Jesus becomes one of the
many spiritual masters who discovered his higher self. It is believed that in
the New Age we can also be enlightened, and this through our own efforts not
through revelation and the grace of God.
·
The
New Age Movement is sometimes called a peace movement. Somehow, it is said,
that when we become a part of this "Harmonic Convergence" we can
bring to bear a mighty power that is beyond ourselves for achieving world
peace. But when we talk about any power that is not from God, and beyond
ourselves we are really talking about the occult.
·
Do
not be deceived by the talk about ecology, the beauty of nature in the world,
and the fundamental goodness of the apparent goals of this movement. Those who
join the New Age Movement are entering a movement dealing with occult spiritual
power. It is not a spiritual power that comes from God, but from the Kingdom of
False Light and Darkness.
"Read
these counsels slowly. Pause to meditate on these thoughts. They are things
that I whisper in your ear-confiding them-as a friend, as a brother, as a
father. And they are being heard by God. I won't tell you anything new. I will
only stir your memory, so that some thought will arise and strike you; and so
you will better your life and set out along ways of prayer and of Love. And in
the end you will be a more worthy soul."
Motives for
penance? — Atonement, reparation, petition, thanksgiving: means to progress:
for you, for me, for others, for your family, for your country, for the
Church... And a thousand motives more.
Daily Devotions
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