After his baptism, “Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil (Mt 4:1 NRSV). He had to deal with temptation. Temptation is as sure as death. It is part of being human. It is through our weaknesses and at our weakest moments that the devil moves in on us just like he did to Jesus in the desert. As we give in to temptation, Jesus doesn’t. He defeated temptation through prayer and fasting.
Just as Jesus spent forty days in the desert preparing for his active ministry, we too can spend these forty days before Easter to prune ourselves of earthly things, keeping the good and getting rid of the bad. Fasting is a means of spiritual preparation, discipline, and penance. Fasting, praying and alms-giving provide us with the defence to fend off the advances of the devil.
Satan uses similar tactics on us as he did on Jesus in the desert, lures of comfort, pleasure and power to make us so concerned about ourselves that we forget about God and his call to love one another. Fasting says, “I am not going to let anything, not even my appetites, be more important than my love for God and people.” The goal during lent is to renew ourselves, to “put away” our old self and “put on” our new self, as St. Paul puts it. Fasting from food can be good, and by going hungry a little, we can be in solidarity with the many who hunger in the world. Fasting can be more than from food. Try the following fasting challenges from Pope Francis (2016) to change the old self to a new self.
- Fast from HURTING WORDS and say KIND WORDS.
- Fast from SADNESS and be filled with GRATITUDE.
- Fast from ANGER and be filled with PATIENCE.
- Fast from PESSIMISM and be filled with HOPE.
- Fast from WORRIES and TRUST IN GOD.
- Fast from COMPLAINTS and contemplate SIMPLICITY.
- Fast from PRESSURES and be PRAYERFUL.
- Fast from BITTERNESS and fill your heart with JOY.
- Fast from SELFISHNESS and be COMPASSIONATE to others.
- Fast from GRUDGES and be RECONCILED.
- Fast from WORDS and be SILENT so you can listen.
Preparing also includes looking after each other. Either we grow in our concern for those in need, or we will become increasingly immune to their suffering. The Gospel of Matthew tells us to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, welcome the stranger, clothe the naked, care for the sick and visit the prisoner. Why? “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me” (Mt 25:40 NRSV). It is time to consider how you will prepare for Easter.
-Deacon Norbert Gaudet, Sacred Heart Church, Raymore
