It is amazing how connected our spiritual lives and physical lives are and how much they affect each other. Change our routines and habits a little – one less coffee in the morning, no chocolate boost at 3:00 pm, a little less time in front of the TV or computer and life looks a lot different.

     A little less energy and solace from the things around us and we may start to find God more clearly in our daily lives and the power and peace to live well. The extra time spent in prayer – possibly praying the Divine Mercy Chaplet, reading a Lenten Daily Reflection book, taking time to talk about our heartfelt faith with others helps us better appreciate God and the people and things in our lives. Fasting and Abstinence are powerful allies of prayer.

Abstinence – the giving up or abstaining from something that we regularly enjoy. Fasting is the diminishment of partaking of something we enjoy – eating a little less, watching less TV.

Fasting – Fridays in Lent are traditionally days of abstaining from meat. Traditionally fasting is having one full meal and two part meals not equaling a full meal and no snacks in between. Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are still days of fast and abstinence for all healthy Catholics from 18 – 59 years of age.