February 21, 2023
For the Christians and anyone who wants to observe with us, tomorrow, Wednesday February 22, is Ash Wednesday. The beginning of the Lenten Season. A time where we make preparations all the way up to Good Friday and Easter Sunday. A time where we fast for 40 days between Ash Wednesday this February 22 and April 6, Maundy Thursday or the day before Good Friday.
We typically give something up as an act of penitence to our Lord and Saviour. But one can add something to their Lenten season as well. I know of some people that have added things as small as an additional scripture reading in the day all the way up to making a daily donation to charities of their choice. It’s all up to your spiritual maturity.
But the easiest way is to just curb your diet, i.e., “fasting.” You can fast in various ways, from no meat during these 40 days, to only water during the 40 days. It’s all up to what you can take and endure.
The intermediate way is to go on the Daniel fast and only have fruits and vegetables with no salt or sugars or added preservatives. Or, a one meal a day fast, which also claims to help you lose weight by forcing your body to burn fat. It’s a type of intermittent fasting, which alternates between periods throughout the day in which you can eat anything and periods in which you don’t eat at all.
God in his infinite wisdom knew our bodies and minds would need these breaks from the everyday pleasures and rigours of life. So he call us to clean up our hearts and bodies to enter into his presence and by extension, the cleansing helps to keep our bodies clean and refreshed as there are medical benefits to fasting.
Even if you are not Christian, please do join us on this journey and you may discover something about yourself that you didn’t know about.