Holy Week Fast

I just read my friend Andrew Dunn’s substack article. Please check that out.

https://andrewdunn1.substack.com/p/holy-week-has-begun-so-take-the-week?publication_id=3471620&post_id=192568500&isFreemail=true&r=2gdth5&triedRedirect=true

Here’s something that immediately caught my eye.

“How has your Lent been? Mine could have been a lot better and the fact that it was sub-par is totally on me.”

How true in my case! My fasting could have been better. I know, I did the bread fast. However there were a few occasions where I gave in and ate other food due to a guest visiting or some such lame excuse. Also, I was out of town most of last week and it’s kind of hard to fast when one is on the road. Another lame excuse on my part, I know.

Enter Holy Week. I have mentioned before that my understanding is that in the early Church, the strict fast for Lent was practiced by catechumens and public penitents. The entire church joined in during Holy Week.

So I will use this gift from God to enter into that strict fast and make a final push to the end. I am doing this because I need to do this. I am doing this to suffer with Our Lord and Our Lady. I am doing this to atone for my sins. I am doing this to renounce the things of the world. I am doing this to punish my body. And yes, I am doing this for the benefits – spiritual, mental, and physical. I have read the numerous collects for ember days and for all of the days during Lent. Remeber the Preface for Lent? “[…Who by this bodily fast] dost lift our minds, curb our vices, strength and rewards bestow.”

And I am doing this for the friend I mentioned recently. Please keep him in your prayers.

That being said, please also keep me in your prayers (and my son who’s idea this really was). It won’t be easy, but for the grace of Almighty God. And I do believe that Grace is “on offer“ in the greatest abundance during this holiest of weeks.

Yes, I’m talking about a true fast. No food from now until after the Vigil.

Fortunately, for me, Miss Ann Barnhardt offered a very useful tip, not long ago on her podcast which I will link to below.

Check out this “recipe” from her show notes.