|What does it mean To fast is to do without food. Its purpose is
to experience the effects of not eating. It also serves to be a
penance or a sacrifice - for the purpose of strengthening us.
When we don't eat, for even a little while, we get hungry. When
we get hungry, we have a heightened sense of awareness. If, when
we eat too much, we have a sluggish feeling, when we fast, we
have a feeling of alertness. Fasting is a wonderful exercise
whenever we want to sincerely ask for an important grace from
God. It is not that our fasting "earns" God's attention, but by
fasting, we clarify our thinking and our feeling. It is
purifying and prepares us to pray more deeply. When do I fast?
Catholics, as a group, are required to fast on only two days of
the year - Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. On these days, fasting
means something very specific and limited. It means that one
eats only one full meal in a day, with no food in-between meals.
It is understood that two other meals, if one eats three meals a
day, should not