When I was 16 until I was 19 years old, I worked at a chemical dependency treatment facility. There were some counselors that would fast a couple days a week. They would give up food for the entire day. Yet they would come in to the cafeteria where everyone was eating- look at the food, smell the food and sit with us.
I thought they were crazy at my age at the time.
Now as I've grown to understand more about prayer, fasting and almsgiving, I see that it was a great sacrifice on their part.
In order to cope with their addiction they were able to give something up that they wanted terribly, such as food, and yet be around it, smell it, see it, yearn for it, and yet not take it. That was a great sacrifice that they did, to help give them strength to cope with addictions.
Now we can look at fasting from our prayer perspective. Giving up food as we fast or giving up something else that we crave, yearn for, and want, is a great sacrifice that we can offer to Jesus and help fulfill our prayer life.
As we go through this Lenten Season- pray often, fast well and give what you are able!
Mother Mary, Pray for us!
