Day Sixteen - Prayer, Fasting, and Almsgiving

Today's Reflection:
by Hannah Blosser

During Lent, three of the most common words we hear are “prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.” Our Lenten journey toward Easter is assisted by these three acts, but do we really understand what each of these acts call us to do? You’re probably thinking, “Well, prayer is obvious. I pray every day. Fasting is basically not eating. And almsgiving is giving to the poor.” Most of us think this way, but these thoughts only scratch the surface. Let’s take a closer look at these three important aspects of the Lenten season, beginning with prayer.

Prayer is an act of “raising one’s mind and heart to God.” It is an act of the will that brings us closer to Our Lord, and allows us to offer Him our petitions, as well as our gratitude for what He has given us. Lent is an ideal time to refocus our prayer life, and spend more time with God in both private prayer and public prayer (such as Mass or saying the Rosary with family members).  Lent is a particularly good time to meditate on Christ’s suffering and death on the cross for our sins, and to ask for forgiveness for the sins we have committed. Prayer, especially meditative prayer, can be a great challenge. We often find ourselves daydreaming and distracted while we pray, but that’s okay: we’re fallen human beings. The good thing about prayer is that, because it is an act of the will, even if we just try to pray, that very act of trying lifts our minds and hearts to God. Little by little, it will become easier to pray and meditate with less distraction.

Fasting is often a difficult subject. No one really enjoys skipping meals. Food is good! Well, that’s the point. When we deny ourselves something good, something we enjoy, we can draw closer to Our Lord. Imagine the pain he endured on the road to Calvary and as He hung on the cross. A bit of hunger and a growling stomach is nothing compared to that! Fasting helps us turn from our bodily hunger for food to our hunger for the love of Christ.  It can help to sharpen our focus, thus assisting in our prayer life.

People often confuse fasting and abstinence. A parish priest once put it quite clearly: “Fasting is when you eat. Abstinence is what you eat.” The rules of fasting tell us to eat one meal a day, with two small snacks, or collations, if needed (the two collations must not add up to a second full meal). Abstinence is giving up something we enjoy, most commonly meat (required on all Fridays during Lent, as well as Ash Wednesday). In abstaining from meat, the only flesh we are permitted to eat is fish, which is a symbol of Christ. In fasting, we call to mind Our Lord’s fast of  forty days in the desert.  Fasting is difficult, but Jesus says not to “look gloomy like the hypocrites” when fasting, because our “Father in secret sees what is hidden,” and He will grant us our reward.

Almsgiving is often the most overlooked of these three Lenten observances. The most common form of almsgiving, as mentioned before, is giving to the poor. This is definitely a good way to fulfill the act of almsgiving, but it is not the only way. Almsgiving helps us to increase the virtues of humility and charity within ourselves, and this observance includes both the Spiritual and Corporal Works of Mercy. Almsgiving is a call to love our neighbor and to dedicate some of our time and energy to the service of others. This could be by volunteering at a local soup kitchen or charity; giving food or money to a homeless person; making a donation to a homeless shelter; or visiting a nursing home. These are all ways that we can humble ourselves and practice charity towards our neighbor.

Prayer for Conversion

Lord, grant us the grace to be instruments of conversion of hearts to remove the spiritual blindness in the world and recognize all children as a beautiful gift of your Most Holy Divine Providence.

May we be converted ourselves and persevere each day and draw closer to your Most Merciful Heart, so that we can touch others and show them your Infinite Goodness.

We know that you will bring a greater good out of this evil of abortion. Did you not bring the greatest good ever, the Resurrection, from the greatest evil ever perpetrated by man, crucifying you on the "Tree of Life"?

Amen.

From 40 Days for Life