“Fasting reduces selfishness within us and opens our hearts to the poor.” (From the Preface of Lent)
Through the words of the prophet Isaiah, dear Father, You make clear what true fasting entails (cf. Isa. 58:6–10). Every injustice is deeply repugnant to You, and You abhor the exploitation of those who already have little. Holy fasting can even become a distorted practice that, in a religious society—such as Jewish society once was— enjoys outward prestige while being deprived of its inner meaning.”
The above words, taken from a preface of Lent, draw our attention to this deeper meaning: fasting should help us overcome self-centeredness and give up unnecessary self-concern. Instead, we should open our eyes to those who need our help.
Indeed, dear Father, voluntary fasting is something wonderful. It helps us receive Your daily gifts with greater gratitude. It can remind us how carefully You care for us in Your goodness, in all areas of our lives. This is precisely what we want to do in the environment in which You have placed us: care for those entrusted to us. Material need is not the only thing that can oppress people; other kinds of need can as well.
There are so many poor people in the world, and not only in terms of a lack of goods. There are also those who lack love, those who do not yet know You. We can offer You our small sacrifices for them, pray for them, and thus think of them instead of ourselves.
I believe that You love this kind of fasting: opening our hearts to those whom You want to draw to Your heart. You will show us what we can do. So we will pause for a moment in the usual flow of our lives and create space through fasting—space into which we invite You to enter.