"In prayer you shall perceive ... the way out of every situation that has no exit." 
                                                                                                           - Medjugorje March 28, 1985

"Do novenas of fasting and renunciation so that satan be far from you and grace be around you"                                                                                                             -  Medjugorje July 25, 2005

This week offers us the last opportunities to fast in the liturgical year, with the first Sunday of Advent starting off the beginning of the new liturgical year.

We are entering the time of quiet expectation of the birth of the Christ Child.  

The readings will lead us through the coming of the Messiah, both prophecies and history. We will be in the room as the Angel Gabriel appears to Mary; we will be in the Holy of Holies as the Angel appears to the high priest Zechariah; we will read of the joy of two women, Mary, and Elizabeth, one young and one old, both miraculously pregnant, laughing as they see each other and marveling at both being part of God’s plan of redemption. 

We will encounter Joseph, so troubled by the turn of events, and the angel comforting and strengthening him.  We will encounter a choir of angels appearing to bewildered shepherds. 

Each of these stories come around year after year and give us the opportunity for deeper reflection- if we permit the Spirit to speak to us through the Living Word and through prayer. 

Advent is seen as “a little Lent,” as we wait for the pivot point of history, the birth of Christ. Consequently, it is an opportunity for us to offer more sacrifices and more penances as small gifts to Our Lord. Even the tiniest sacrifice- such as not taking the last word, or smiling when we don’t feel like it, or putting the phone down to pay attention to a child or a spouse- when offered as a present for Jesus, is like preparing the way.

Some families have a sweet custom of lining the manger in the creche with a piece of hay for each good deed the children do, to make a soft bed for the Baby. We adults needn’t keep track of our good deeds, or our refraining from vices. The Good Lord takes care of that. He notices everything that we do and records it for all eternity.

If Christ is the Lord of our life, then this Advent let’s look at any area where we might not be pleasing Him. Is it our tongue? Is it our lack of thoughtfulness for others? What is it? 

We can imagine He walks into the room. Is He pleased with what we are doing? Or is He sad? Will he be pleased with how we have invested the talents He gave us? Or will He be angry that we have squandered what He gave us?

Our efforts to master ourselves by fasting and prayer preparing for His first coming, will surely help us to always be waiting and watching for His second coming. 

God bless your fast today with rich meditations on how you can grow closer to Him and help bring others to heaven.

Why We Fast – Our Core Fasting Intentions

1) We add the new fasting intention of taking back the church from evil. We submit the three-step process to achieve this victory is 1-Repent, 2-Prayer & Fasting and, 3-Imitate our Savior by throwing the evil leadership from the church. We will seek to emulate the Savior in our effort to End The USCCB, an organization that has been devastating to the church.  (“You shall know the spirit by the fruits” - Matt. 7:16)

2) For the Holy Spirit to reign down upon America, renewing our land as the Christian, capitalist meritocracy we were founded to be.

3) For the protection of our police, firefighters, military and their families from harm and that the Lord bless their courageous generosity on our behalf.

4) For the protection of the families who fast with us, and for God’s blessings of abundance upon them and that true to His word, we will be able to witness that He prospered us in famine.

Would you like to learn more about fasting?

We maintain a repository of ideas and information we have learned over the last decade while fasting weekly for America. From scientific studies on the benefits of fasting, to the differences between intermittent dieting vs intermittent fasting, to scriptural references regarding the power of fasting to the history of first century Christians who stated believers are obligated to fast weekly, we hope you will find numerous insights with our free resource located here.

Together let us also implore Heaven while fasting for intentions you have highlighted:

4) For all patriots who put themselves on the front lines in combatting evil and for all of the warriors who are stepping up around the nation to fight for the gospel – May The Father cover them in the blood of our savior,  protect them and their families from evil and bring victory to their endeavors.

5) For priests, ministers and all who aspire to lead others to the Lord, that the Holy Spirit will reign down upon them as at Pentecost filling them to overflowing. 

6) For the Americans jailed after January 6th who were admitted to the Capitol building by the police, and who were not found to have destroyed any property at the capitol yet who have been held captive ever since on our own soil - That God's Spirit will move quickly to bring justice back to this land and free them.

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