Fasting

To dance, love, and fall into the depths of God is to give yourself to fasting. As we give our lives to prayer we begin to fast rhythmically. It becomes a part of the way that we know God. There, we find ourselves in the presence of Jesus. There is something unique and divine that happens when we fast. The emptiness of our bodies enlivens our senses to the real presence of Jesus.

To fast is a foundational way of prayer for monastics. It is a way that we respond to the invitation to be in God’s presence. It is an expression of love that is beyond words. A love that moves us to deny the sustenance of life itself. It is a death to self. It is a death into the waters that we rise to life. It is one of the key rhythms and prayers that animate a monastic life.

It is with the grace God lavishes upon us that the invitation to fast is made. We are welcomed to this gift because we are fully worthy of joining with God. There should be no shame or guilt as we accept the call to fast. Join us as we fast together. May your Kingdom come, and your will be done.

There are three reasons to fast. Our focus here is primarily on presence.

The types of fasting:

• Presence with Jesus
• Personal Grief
• Communal Grief

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When questioned by the pharisees Jesus said that his disciples did not fast because he was with them. As Jesus is no longer physically present with us, we must fast.

Why fast:

• Our call as Christians is to become like Jesus in our character. Fasting forces us to confront our most basic biological instinct to eat. Mastering our need and desire for food is critical to becoming masters of our bodies.
• Fasting is more about communion and oneness with God than about petition.
• In our fasting we become one with our siblings who lack food beyond their own choice. And therefore, are able to grieve along with God over the injustice and greed which murders them.
• Fasting allows us to correctly lower the place and prominence of food in our lives. To confront the myths and lies around our desire to eat.