Homilies about fasting

Ash Wednesday: Beyond Giving Up Chocolate – What True Fasting Means

The homily emphasizes that Lent is a time for deep, intentional personal conversion, not superficial acts. It reinterprets fasting, prayer, and almsgiving, suggesting that fasting should lead to spiritual growth by eliminating evil habits and ego, rather than just losing weight. The priest encourages quiet prayer to hear God and stresses that almsgiving should be done with pure intentions, not for human praise.

Lent's Call to Holiness: Fulfilling the Law Through Prayer, Fasting, and Charity

The homily emphasizes that Jesus came to fulfill the law, not abolish it, and calls believers to strive for holiness during Lent. It encourages giving up things that hinder spiritual growth and embracing prayer, fasting, and charity as means to imitate Christ and grow closer to God.

Beyond Food: What Are You Really Thirsty For This Lent?

The homily emphasizes that fasting is not about punishment but about spiritual training, revealing our true thirst for God and making space for His grace. Drawing on the Samaritan woman's encounter with Jesus and the example of St. Francis of Assisi, the priest encourages a deeper, more honest approach to Lenten fasting, extending beyond food to habits, reactions, and attitudes, ultimately leading to a greater reliance on God.

Fasting from Jealousy and Complaining This Lent

The homily draws parallels between the Old Testament story of Joseph and the Gospel parable of the vineyard, highlighting themes of rejection and ultimate salvation. It then connects these readings to the Lenten practice of fasting, inviting listeners to fast from jealousy, resentment, and complaining, and instead embrace gratitude and trust in God's saving work.

How to Restart Your Lent (Even If It's Not Going Well)

The homily addresses the common experience of Lent not going as planned, emphasizing that it's always possible to recommit to prayer, fasting, and charity. It highlights that God is constantly speaking to our hearts through various means, and we are called to listen and be open to His grace for conversion and holiness.

Beyond Hunger: The True Meaning of Lenten Fasting

This homily focuses on the true meaning of Lenten fasting, emphasizing that it is not merely about abstaining from food but about spiritual discipline, repentance, and purification. The priest clarifies the Church's guidelines on fasting and abstinence, and stresses that genuine fasting involves refraining from sin and injustice, and cultivating a heart of forgiveness, rather than just outward observance.

The Rich Man's Real Sin: Why Self-Reliance is Deadly

The homily emphasizes that the rich man's greatest sin was not merely neglecting Lazarus, but trusting in himself rather than God, a manifestation of pride. It warns against becoming like the rich man by clinging to worldly possessions and self-reliance, especially during Lent, and encourages trusting in God through practices like fasting and almsgiving.

Lent's Call to Service: Living Out Christ's Example

The homily emphasizes that true greatness in the Christian life comes not from seeking positions of power or privilege, but from humble service to others, mirroring Christ's own example. It connects this call to service with the Lenten disciplines of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, encouraging reflection on how these are being lived out.

The Power of Prayer and Fasting in Lent

This homily emphasizes the importance of combining prayer with fasting, especially during Lent, drawing an example from the prophet Daniel. The speaker encourages listeners to offer their Lenten sacrifices and intentions for the nation and international peace, trusting in God's mercy and compassion.

Fasting: Training for the Kingdom of Heaven

The homily for the Third Sunday of Lent emphasizes fasting not for weight loss, but as a spiritual discipline to train the body, mind, and spirit for self-mastery and spiritual battles. It encourages parishioners to offer their hunger and denial of desires as a prayer for the kingdom of heaven and for their neighbors, extending the concept of fasting beyond food to include abstaining from excessive consumption of digital media and noise.

The Inseparable Link: Prayer, Fasting, and Mercy

The homily emphasizes the inseparable connection between prayer, fasting, and mercy, drawing from St. Peter Chrysologus. It argues that these three practices are interdependent and essential for a complete spiritual life, highlighting that true prayer and fasting must be accompanied by acts of mercy towards others.

Climbing the Ladder to Christ: Overcoming Temptation During Lent

This homily uses the Byzantine icon of "The Ladder of Divine Ascent" to illustrate the Christian life as a journey of spiritual growth, emphasizing that the Great Fast is a time to actively climb towards Christ through prayer, fasting, and repentance. It highlights common temptations like gossip, distraction, and anger as forces that pull us down, and encourages daily, small choices to move closer to God, reminding us that Christ is both the goal and the anchor of our hope.

Overcoming Your 'Deaf and Dumb Spirits' Through Prayer and Fasting

The homily for the Fourth Sunday of Lent explores the Gospel reading about casting out a deaf and dumb spirit. It emphasizes the importance of prayer and fasting not only for spiritual growth but also as a means to overcome our own 'deaf and dumb spirits' – the passions and appetites that rob us of reason and free will, restoring us to the image and likeness of God.

Beyond Food: What to Fast From This Lent (and Why)

Deacon George Bruce

The homily, delivered by a Deacon, explores the purpose of fasting during Lent, emphasizing its role in conversion, self-discipline, and solidarity with the poor, drawing parallels to Jesus's fasting and temptations in the wilderness. It then expands on Pope Francis's suggestions for fasting from not just food, but also hurtful words, screens/social media, complaining, and indifference, encouraging listeners to identify what keeps them from God.

Deny Yourself, Take Up Your Cross: The True Meaning of Fasting

This homily, delivered on the Third Sunday of the Great Fast, emphasizes that fasting is more than just abstaining from food; it's a spiritual battle against temptation and self-will. The priest explains that true discipleship requires denying oneself, taking up one's cross, and following Christ, who, as our High Priest, understands our weaknesses and provides an example of how to withstand temptation.

Cuaresma: Oración, Ayuno y Limosna para una Vida Plena

The homily reflects on the Lenten season, emphasizing the three pillars of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. It encourages parishioners to deepen their relationship with God through silent prayer, practice self-discipline by abstaining from distractions, and serve others by sacrificing for the needy. The priest reminds the faithful that Lent is a time to understand what separates them from God and to share their faith.

¿Por Qué Seguimos Pecando? La Cuaresma es Tu Oportunidad de Cambio

The homily emphasizes that Christ came to give us eternal life and the power to overcome sin, which stems from our 'thirsts' for worldly pleasures, fame, and attention. The priest challenges the faithful to actively use the Lenten practices of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving not as mere obligations, but as tools to strengthen their will and transform their lives by choosing not to be weak and to truly encounter Christ.

Living Water: Why Worldly Things Won't Satisfy This Lent

Father Pat Niels

The homily emphasizes that while Lenten practices like prayer, fasting, and almsgiving are important, their ultimate purpose is to help us understand that worldly things are temporary. Drawing on the Gospel of the Samaritan woman at the well, the priest highlights Jesus' offer of 'living water' that leads to eternal life, urging listeners to prioritize God over material possessions.

Lent's Call: Prayer, Fasting, Forgiveness, and the Power of Lament

This homily, delivered during a Lenten parish mission, focuses on the three pillars of Lent: prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, with a particular emphasis on forgiveness and lament. The speaker encourages a deeper, more intentional approach to these practices, urging listeners to cultivate a conversational relationship with God through prayer, to fast from habits that don't feed the soul, and to practice almsgiving through simple acts of kindness and generosity. A significant portion is dedicated to self-forgiveness and forgiving others, recognizing that hurtful behaviors often stem from others' wounds, and embracing lament as a biblical way to bring sorrow to God.

The Danger of Familiarity: Why We Reject God's Grace

The homily warns against the danger of 'familiarity breeding contempt,' especially concerning sin. It uses the Gospel story of Jesus' rejection in Nazareth and the healing of Naaman the Syrian to illustrate how familiarity with God or one's own spiritual standing can lead to arrogance and a failure to recognize God's grace or one's need for repentance. The priest emphasizes that Lent is a season for sacrifice and discipline, particularly through fasting, to overcome the desires of the flesh and avoid becoming complacent with sin.