Fasting Friday

Were you aware that we have already started the Lenten season? Even if I have not watch any daily masses since the start of this year I can say that I still know that we are already observing the Lenten season. However, I have not done any fasting for decades.

As explained in the Catholic Telegraph website, we all know that Lent is a 40 day season of prayer, fasting, almsgiving that begins on Ash Wednesday and ends at sundown on Holy Thursday.

Growing up, I was taught by my parents to fast and abstain from meat on all the Fridays of Lent. Then when we were already in high school, we would just fast on Good Friday and forget about fasting and abstaining from meat when we were in college up to present. My brother who is not fond of eating fish would always complain whenever we would have fish during Fridays. He eats fish but is only limited to a few. Then after college, I saw one of my college blockmates posted a status that she will be going on a 40 day social media fast so she would be deactivating her account during those times. I saw her did that for 2 consecutive years and I admired her for doing such a thing when during those times it was about the peak moment of Facebook.

I know that Lent has already started but if you were to abstain or fast on something, what would it be and why? What is that something that you are willing to give up for 40 days.

Honestly, I paused at that part because I was thinking hard what is that one thing that I can give up. If I were to do fasting next year, I think I would sacrifice eating a lot of food and would only eat and/or drink fruits and vegetables and we can also include crackers and eggs for 40 days. Diet right? Jesus fasted for 40 days and 40 nights without eating and drinking. I know that we can also do that. There was a movie that I have watched which was based on a true story wherein he survived almost 6 days after a canyoneering accident. He only had a few water that he even drank his own urine. His arm was also lodged into a boulder and was trapped 100 feet below the desert surface yet he survived with only little food and water.

Actually, last week after my brother's birthday, I have already told my mom that I wanted to fast on all Fridays of Lent and I would not eat anything just water. But of course I failed to do that though I only ate a little that day as I was really full from all the food that I have consumed the day before. With the fasting Friday, my dad's late friend did that when I was in college. He used to drive me sometimes whenever I had late night with friends and most of the times it was his late brother who was my dad's best friend and right hand man. Since I was a little on the heavy side before (and until now. LOL), he told me that I should try what he was doing. He would not eat the whole Friday and would only drink water. I do not know if there is some health related issues that would rise if you are to fast for a day but I have not yet tried fasting for a day. I did tried having one meal a day but it was only for 2 weeks during my rebellion days. I did lose some weight but some people said that it was not healthy.

With regards to using the cellphone, I can actually survive without checking my social media accounts for 40 days although if I were also to include Messenger, I guess that would be a problem as majority of the people are know using it to send messages to other people here and abroad. Though I can still do that as I have done it in the past when I did not open my Friendster and cellphones. I did not also took any calls when they called me at home. I shut myself from everybody. There were no learnings in what I did back then as those were part of my dark, rebellion and anti-social days.

This Lenten season, I started reading some 40 day plans on my Bible app about Lent. It consists of some devotional essays and Bible readings. I said before that I would be reading the Bible from the first book but I failed. Though I am proud to say that I still get to read the Bible verses for the day however, there were really days that I would miss a day or 2. But I am happy that I am back to reading the Bible again. One staff saw me a few days ago reading something on my phone and she asked what it was and I said the Bible. She did not said anything after. Maybe she was shocked to see that I was reading the Bible. LOL.

If there is something that I am trying so hard to control especially during this summer season, it is to keep myself cool at all times and to have longer patience. When my mom and I went to the mall last week, I know I was really pissed with everyone including my parents and even the people that I encounter on the street who did nothing to me. I do not know if it was the extreme heat but I was really irritated yet I tried to keep my cool by closing my eyes, inhaled and exhaled and then I asked God for forgiveness for acting that way. Those are some things that I should reflect about during this Lenten season. Whether we do fasting or not, I think we should not forget about the true meaning of Lent. For some people it means company outing or long vacation but I do hope that they would remember to at least pray and reflect about their life for the past year/s. It is also in Lent when He died for us to save us and with that we should give thanks for what He has done for us. So what is it that you are willing to sacrifice on Lent next year? Korean drama? Social media? Saying bad words, alcohol, smoking, certain foods or some other things?

March 25, 2022

P.S. lead image is a photo of the church inside Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar in Quezon City.