Our Lady Calls Us to Fast! Choosing to Fast Amid Struggles

Help for fasting on this Friday following Ash Wednesday:

Monstrance given to the parish of Medjugorje on the 30th Anniversary of the reported Apparitions.

When I first heard about Medjugorje and listened to the reported messages almost 30 years ago, my heart was inflamed with great love and fervor!
Along with this fervor, God gave me the grace to fast without difficulty as I eagerly heeded the reported messages of Our Blessed Mother, in which she repeatedly asked us to fast. For, it is an integral part of her call to lead us ever closer to her Son, Jesus.

It was such a joy to me!

But, that ease has been gone for over 20 years now.  
Therefore, this particular call of Mary to fast twice each week on Wednesdays and Fridays has been the call in which I have failed the most.

I have often thought of this as a shame, but maybe it's not in the eyes of God? 
Let me explain: 
When I first began to make holy hours in front of Jesus in adoration, I remember repeating a phrase often to myself that helped me as I got used to staying in prayer for an hour at a time. 
The phrase went something like this: 

Consolation is God's gift to you. To continue to pray, even if you feel nothing, is your gift to God. 

It seems that this must also be true with fasting. If we fast with great ease it is definitely a grace and a gift from God to us. But, if we struggle to fast, yet determinedly begin again and again regardless of how often we fail or how painful it is, that is our gift to God. 
So, by allowing us to struggle, isn't this an opportunity for us to grow in truly loving God - by purifying us of our self-centerness and our tendency to live only to please ourselves?

Thus, even while God allows us to struggle for our good in order to purify us - I also know that God looks with compassion on us and sees how many of us fight to live the call He has given to us through his Mother. He, therefore, longs to help us choose to fast even in the midst of temptations and trials. Because of this, I have felt called to share insights, thoughts and meditations about fasting each Wednesday and Friday - especially this Lent. 
These posts are meant to inspire us and be a grace to help each of us choose to live our fast days from the heart and as a gift to God. 

May this video that highlights Father Slavko's insights regarding fasting be just such a grace:

His thoughts give us much to ponder. I've taken a few short notes of the video to aid us as we pray: 

"If we do not fast, we are standing only on one leg...There are two legs of the spiritual life. Along with prayer we must fast.
Fasting helps you to have freedom...
If you want to have peace, begin to fast...
To heal our deepest wounds, begin to fast..."

I pray that these insights, as well as Our Mother's powerful words below inspire us to choose to fast today, so that our hearts become ever more purified in order to greater recognize and receive Jesus, Who is here with us to give us true peace, love and lead us to eternal life:

“…Your Savior is here with you. What prevents your hearts from receiving Him? What all is false within them? Purify them by fasting and prayer. Recognize and receive my Son. He alone gives you true peace and true love. The way to eternal life is He, my Son! Thank you.” (1/2/06)

With prayers for you today and always! Please, also, pray for me! In Jesus and Mary, I offer all our fasting for love of You, O God. Amen.

© Janet Moore. 2019. All Rights Reserved.