Sunday Rambling

I just got back from church and I must say that today’s homily was very good. I believe all my Christian brethren went to their respective worship centres and if for any reason you were not able to go, I believe know you are blessed already. Just as all Catholics in the world know that the church has begun her Lenten seasons which last for forty days. It is in this period that the church teaches us how to live a better life of prayer, abstinence and charity. The truth is that the world has a great need for prayers and charity to be a greater part of our daily living. While in the church today, the Priest during the homily touched a lot of places regarding fasting but he took the part of teaching us what proper fasting should be like.

How do you fast?

The truth is that we most times become so religious that we overdo some of this spiritual exercise thinking that God will double our reward. This is why we see people who go into fasting every day of their life and yet they end up not getting answers to their prayers. Does that mean that God does not answer prayers anymore? It is a clear sign that we are either not getting it right when it comes to fasting or that it is not yet time for our prayers to be answered. How can you be punishing yourself all in the name of fasting? Do you know that if you develop an ulcer through stead fasting which then leads to your death, you would have ended up committing suicide? I have seen cases where children are made to fast even when it is very clear that their body needs food to develop very well. We call it being religious but I call it being ignorant.

The day you realize that fasting is not and should not be seen as a means to just punish the body, you will then understand that what God requires from us more is love for Him and to our neighbours. Don’t get it twisted and think that I do not support fasting as a means of praying to God rather what I am saying, in essence, is that we must be careful with what we do while fasting. How can you be fasting with malice, envy, jealousy, greed and wickedness in your heart? Do you not know that every prayer starts right from your heart and the level of purity you have within you. It is not just about having all those negativity inside of you rather it is also not doing the right thing after every fast. Let me tell you that any fasting that does not end in charity is just a mere punishment and has no reward. You cannot deny yourself food in the morning with the intention of fasting and you go ahead and have your morning breakfast stored safely in the refrigerator because you intend to eat it once you are done with the fasting. This does not go for food alone it affects everything we do as humans. When you decide to fast, you should be ready to sacrifice that which you could have used to buy food or other things. This is where charity comes in during the Lenten season.

Once you do not end your fasting by doing one form of charity or the other, you would have ended up punishing yourself. The Priest when on to tell us the need for us to always watch our heart and the things that dwell in it because they are the very things that will make us or mar us. Just as we have entered the Lenten season, you must try as much as possible to live a chaste life. Pray always and fast when necessary. I have heard people say that they are having dry Fasting and when they tell you what they do during this period you will understand that a lot of us are just religious fanatics.  Dry fasting means that you will not eat nor drink water till the end of the fasting period. So what it means is that your body that needs water regularly to survive will be made to suffer through a series of medical side effects of lack of water in the body. When this happens, you have committed suicide and according to the Bible, you are heading to hell.

When John the Baptist heard about how Jesus was busy going about eating and drinking with his disciples, associating himself with prostitutes and visiting the house of task collectors he (John De Baptist) could not believe in such a messiah. He went to the extent of asking his followers to ask Jesus if he is the one to come or should they expect another. Now, looking at the reaction of John in the bible, you will agree that John was expecting a very Pious Messiah, one who will fast all the days of his life. It was only recorded that Jesus fasted at the beginning of his ministry and there is not any record saying otherwise. I know someone will say He is God and therefore could as well not fast since he has the power to do all things. What Jesus Christ did was to use himself to teach us that praying and fasting has a way and process of doing it. If you end up dead because you fasted and your body failed you, you are going to answer about that and how you took care of your body while on earth. Fasting should not be what you do every day of your life rather it should be periodic and must be ended with charity. Thank you for reading this post and happy Sunday to you all.

Davinchysax loves you.