Lenten fasting and abstinence open the heart to God

By Greg Zambrano
NOLA Catholic Parenting

Lent is approaching, and during this time of the liturgical calendar, I look at how my family and I are doing with our prayer, fasting and almsgiving. These items are necessary to maintain, enrich and help us fulfill our faith.

The Catholic Church teaches that everyone age 14 and older must abstain from consuming meat on Ash Wednesday, Good Friday and all Fridays during Lent. My whole family fulfills this requirement on these days by eating fish for lunch and dinner and also by eating more eggs, while avoiding bacon and other breakfast meats.

My 14-year-old and I usually fast some days; hopefully, all of my kids will also fast, since it is an essential part of the season.

In his “Summa Theologica,” St. Thomas Aquinas says this about fasting: “We abstain from meat and animal products because, being most suited to our bodies, they are most delightful and because they incline us most to lust.” Meat is generally more delightful than fish, and therefore is forbidden.

St. Thomas also says fasting is useful for “freeing the mind from bodily concerns so that it may better contemplate heavenly things” and help us be “prepared for grace” at Easter.

The first thing I do is ask God in prayer for the grace to fast. When I first heard of this several years ago, I wondered why I would ask God for more suffering. I was thinking how a delicious roast beef po-boy with extra gravy, fully dressed, was waiting for me. I now realize that by praying for the grace of fasting, I was relying on God, not the world, to provide.

Fasting can be an extreme struggle, but in asking God for grace, he sends divine assistance to make it easier. While experiencing the pain in fasting, God’s joy and closeness are beyond fulfilling.

In fasting, we are united to God’s will and docile to the Holy Spirit by being less tied to the world. It allows us to better hear God’s will in our lives and gives us courage to do what God asks of us. Psalm 51:12 says: “Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.”

When I am struggling with sin or have not understood what God is asking of me during Lent, I can seek penance by dropping the Oreos, chips and the Ho Hos for a day or two. I think of St. Faustina: “Every conversion of a sinful soul demands sacrifice.”

I am reminded of Psalm 51:17 that “sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise” when I hear the priest in Mass implore “that my sacrifice and yours may be acceptable to God, the Almighty Father.”

We all struggle with sin, yet Mother Church gives us the opportunity, tools and teachings to recognize and get on the right track toward God. I pray that our family’s humble sacrifices will be acceptable to God to receive his favor.

Greg Zambrano was born in Colombia and raised in Miami. After serving in both the Marine Corps and the Air Force for a total of 10 years, he became a stay-at-home father. He and his wife have been married for 19 years and have two daughters who attend Catholic school. They enjoy going to nearby parks and playgrounds. Also, as a family, they enjoy going to the movies, eating at restaurants and attending Mass on Saturday at Our Lady of Prompt Succor Shrine in New Orleans.