February 2021 Fast or Fill

 

   Whether they are New Year’s resolutions, an impulse to improve yourself, or the Invitation to Lent, after about a month our best of intentions can take the road less traveled. Perhaps, after trying a new thing on for size, we realize this isn’t the year for taking this particular thing on, or our heart isn’t really set on giving this other thing up.

   Rather than scrapping the Lenten desire to better follow Jesus, take some time to discern what might be more meaningful to you. Instead of “better luck next year,” take the time you have ahead of you to experiment with something else.

   After all, if what you are really trying to maintain is the fire of your faith to follow Jesus, keeping that spark alive is what’s most important, not the details of how you do it.

   If you find you’re running out of steam on your Ash Wednesday intentions, Pope Francis recently offered some possibilities for “fasting and filling” that may address your yearning to make this a meaningful Lent.

The Pope asks, “Do you want to fast this Lent?” before offering the following alternatives:

Fast from hurting words and say kind words.

Fast from sadness and be filled with gratitude

Fast from anger and be filled with patience.

Fast from pessimism and be filled with hope.

Fast from worries and trust in God.

Fast from complaints and contemplate simplicity.

Fast from pressures and be prayerful.

Fast from bitterness and fill your heart with joy.

Fast from selfishness and be compassionate to others.

Fast from grudges and be reconciled.

Fast from words and be silent so you can listen.

 

   You could just sit with these for a bit, asking God, and yourself, which one of these might be most necessary or fruitful for you at this time in your life. Whether the reason is clear to you or not, is there one invitation, or a pair, that seems to touch you more deeply than the others?

 

   Thanks be to God if your Shrove Tuesday intentions for the Lenten invitation remains strong. But if not, there’s no reason to wait until 2022. Whether you begin today, tomorrow, or the next day, “now is the acceptable time” to follow Jesus.