Fasting Differently

Fasts have a tendency to be oriented toward things like giving up food or television. But there are many other creative ways we can welcome Jesus' healing touch.

1. Fast from anger and  hatred.  

Give your family an extra dose of love each day.

2. Fast from judging others.

Before making any judgements, recall how Jesus overlooks our faults.
3.Fast from discouragement. Hold on to Jesus' promise that He has a perfect plan for your life.
4.Fast from complaining.                                                    

When you find yourself about to complain, close your eyes and recall some of the little moments of joy Jesus has given you.
5. Fast from resentment or bitterness!.                                  
Work on forgiving those who may have hurt you.
6. Fast from spending too much money.                                
Try to reduce your spending by ten percent and give those savings to the poor.  (Dorry)

Thanks to the presentation that is doing the rounds today in the inboxes. A timely reminder to goad each one to a conversion of the mind. Harsh words like these, "remember, man, that thou art dust, and unto dust thou shalt return." should normally unnerve any person. When the ash takes shape of crooked cross on the forehead, thanks to hurried fingers of the celebrant, it is a cold blooded reminder into the end times, that you shall not escape death, that dust is your final form of matter.

But science and technology has falsely defied such affirmations. Funeral houses have taken over the ‘dust’, the body is embalmed. The rouge and the cosmetic box works wonders and the silence of death is not chilling any more . Death is presented euphemistically, the dead no longer disconcerts anyone. Death is presented amongst lavish bouquets of soothing flowers and sober rituals. Death no longer inspires the fear of God in man. But nature will take its due course despite our challenge to nature with litres of costly embalming fluid. We are sure to turn to dust. 

Realistically our lives are dotted with a single certainty; death. Humans we are, we still want to refurbish our dead hair follicles, smoothen all the crumbled skin, appear young even when the final countdown has started; all futile efforts to defeat death. Ash Wednesday smiles gently at the futility of such human exercises. Perhaps when the dead are dumped by hundreds in mass graves, when dead bodies are burnt in the public squares, death and ‘dust’ are not unsettling anyone anymore.What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun? One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh...(Eccl 1) 

The ash smeared forehead reminds you that you are mortal, subject to rot and decay. It is high time to submerge into yourself, change the course of your travel and join the road to victory. The ash, smoking remnants of the palm leaves, is an emblem of victory, epitomises the link between penance and victory. The ash which wears off from the forehead is the testimony of your realization, the ultimate reality of death, the importance of penance, the victory of Jesus. Did it wear off from your forehead or did you chose to wipe it off. Did this simple testimony cause you heartburn? When Christ walked out of the tomb to guarantee resurrection for you, are you in the certitude that returning to dust is the beginning of your resurrection. Let your Lent be creative, creativity that leads to your resurrection.