An Acceptable Fast

"Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house, when you see the naked to cover them, and not hide yourself from your own kin?" ~ Isaiah 58: 6-7

Lent requires an action and an awareness—not just any action will do. One must be thoughtful about their choices. This Lent I am taking up the practice of saying the rosary on the advice of someone who has steered me in the right direction a few times lately. I must admit that the rosary has not been a form of prayer that I like so it does feel somewhat onerous. However, I have been surprised at how beautiful this particular Novena is that I am doing.

The prayer consists of saying one Mystery of the Rosary each night, with a particular intention, for 27 evenings. Now, typically a Novena is nine days. This is kind of Trinitarian in nature as you say it for three weeks in petition. When you complete those three weeks, you continue on for another 27 days, this time in thanksgiving, regardless of whether you have a sense of receiving the grace for which you have asked or not.

I am on Day 14. I have done all the Mysteries three times now. I love the Mysteries of Light best of all. At the end of each decade, I must bind my prayers with a virtue. This is what has been so meaningful to me. Each evening there are five different virtues and I marvel anew each time I read them. They vary from purity to charity to humility to obedience to responding to the needs of others to working for social justice.

I started the Novena on the same day of my friend’s wedding in Vancouver, which was World Happy Day, and on Thursdays which are the Mysteries of Light, I include her and her new husband in my prayers as the Wedding at Cana is one of the Mysteries that I must meditate on.

Fasting is never easy. In order to do this Novena, I must give up something in order to create the time to say the Rosary and the accompanying prayers. I am using my grandmother’s rosary, given to me after she died. I think of her as I pick up these white beads and I know that she is beloved to me. Her faith in particular was strong. I think I may be hoping that my prayers are joined to hers for my needs this Lent. I want to make the remainder of this Novena in a more committed way which may mean finding a time to prayer when I am a wee bit more awake than the last half hour of my day.

Are you doing an acceptable fast this Lent?

Peace,

Suzanne