Fasting according to the Pope

Our Holy Father recently, well actually I think it was a couple months ago, put out a Lenten message that focused in on the role of fasting during Lent. It's a good read but just in case you're doubting, here is but a taste of the goodness.

"From what I have said thus far, it seems abundantly clear that fasting represents an important ascetical practice, a spiritual arm to do battle against every possible disordered attachment to ourselves. Freely chosen detachment from the pleasure of food and other material goods helps the disciple of Christ to control the appetites of nature, weakened by original sin, whose negative effects impact the entire human person. Quite opportunely, an ancient hymn of the Lenten liturgy exhorts: “Utamur ergo parcius, / verbis cibis et potibus, / somno, iocis et arctius / perstemus in custodia – Let us use sparingly words, food and drink, sleep and amusements. May we be more alert in the custody of our senses.”

Dear brothers and sisters, it is good to see how the ultimate goal of fasting is to help each one of us, as the Servant of God Pope John Paul II wrote, to make the complete gift of self to God (cf. Encyclical Veritatis splendor, 21).

So check it out. It's too good to miss. Also I recommend this article if you want to read more on fasting. :)

And for a bit of humor. Scroll down on this link to the second or third picture which has the pope. :)

AMDG