Fasting 

   I enjoy reading about the lives of the Saints.  Their lives and how they lived them can greatly help each of us do better in advancing our spirituality.

   One of the things I’ve found to be common among virtually all of the saints is a devotion to fasting and controlling the physical desires of the body.  Our eyes, our ears, our physical pleasures, our appetite for food and all our earthly desires are ripe targets for Satan and his temptations.  If we can control our body and its physical desires, we can better withstand his attacks.

   Most think of fasting as giving up a particular food or skipping a meal occasionally, but there are many forms of fasting.  What we choose to fast from should be whatever seems to be the biggest roadblock in our spiritual life; the thing that plagues us most in trying to come closer to God.

   If our temper is the problem we can fast from anger, refusing to allow our emotions to push us into attacking others through our words or actions or even in our thoughts.  When we feel anger rising we can stop and remember that we are all God’s children, asking Him to help us love rather than hate.

Jealousy, wanting what others have, can lead to envy, perhaps even to the point of despising them.  That is the road to perdition.  Stop and consider that everything gained in this world will be lost when this life is over.  Don’t risk your soul for the desire of temporary wealth and pleasure.

   Fasting should be a part of our life, not just something we do for a while during Lent or for some other special time.  We can and should try to fast from those things that come between us and the Lord.  Make of them an offering to God and ask for His help in overcoming them.  Fasting of this kind will bring us nearer to God.