Give it up. Give time for God. Give until it hurts...

I went playing footie on Tuesday night and one of my friends said after, “I’m off to eat Crisps and chocolate, and drink beer for the last time in 40 days”. I’ve spent most of my Ash Wednesday starving hungry.  Which lead me to think, why do we FAST or give things up?  And what good does it do? 

The practice of fasting predates Jesus; in fact a lot of the time the great characters in the Bible go to the wilderness to fast and pray before they do great things.  Moses fasts and prays and then receives the Ten Commandments for the people of Israel.   Jesus goes to the wilderness to fast and pray; then starts his 3 years of public ministry.  St. Paul also fasted and prayed before embarking on his epic missionary work where he proclaimed the Gospel without fear to most of the Roman world.

I suppose the one thing that links all three examples other than fasting – PRAYER.  Fasting isn’t a natural thing to do, everything about our physical self tells us to eat when we’re hungry.  To deny ourselves something either through fasting or by giving up something we like for Lent needs our spiritual side.

Basically without prayer we couldn’t and wouldn’t do these things.  We need God’s help to fast but at the same time it brings us closer to Him.  Our choice not to eat or drink, allows us time to think about others in the world who may not have enough to eat and what WE can do to help right that wrong.  Remember the words of Jesus “You fed me when I was hungry, you gave me drink when I thirsted” (Matthew 25:35) and the people asked when did they feed

Jesus when he was hungry?  He replies “when you do this unto the least of my brothers you do it unto me.”  By fasting we show empathy with the poorest of our brothers and sisters around the world, and by thinking of them more we become closer to Jesus. 

This leads us to the last thing on our lenten cross CHARITY or almsgiving.  You must have often heard to give is better than to receive.  Well there was a woman I’m sure that you’ve all heard of who spent her entire life fulfilling the call of lent to fast, pray and give.  This was Mother Theresa of Calcutta. 

One time she took a large bowl of Rice to a starving Muslim family; they were so malnourished they looked like skeletons.  She was amazed when the mother took another bowl scooped some rice into it and walked out of the door.  A few minutes later she returned with an empty bowl.  Mother Theresa asked what she had done with the rice; she replied “My hindu neighbour is also starving.”  Mother Theresa began to cry, she realised for the first time in her life what it meant to give until it hurts.

So whenever you next get tempted by the Galaxy caramel, the ice-cold beer or glass of wine think of the Muslim mother.  And just think that what you’re doing is bringing you closer to Jesus the giver of LIFE.

Jonathan Berry, 28

Pharmacist in Newton

Lecturer at Keele University

Footballer wherever Anyone will have me!