"At the very end of Lent I discovered the sermon given on Ash Wednesday
of the year 1622 by St. Francis de Sales. Better late than never! This
sermon was given as part of a series to the religious women in the Order
of the Visitation, or the Visitandines, which St. Francis founded with
St. Jane Frances de Chantal. The subject of the sermon was the need to 'fast with our whole heart, that is to say, willingly, whole-heartedly,
universally and entirely.' . . .
"Why do I bring this up now, at the beginning of the Easter season? It is
not only because I just discovered the sermon. Rather, it is because I
fear that, until we recognize the importance of this concept of
universal fasting, our penitential practices will bear very little
fruit. What we learn in Lent, I think, must become the foundation for
the spiritual life all year round. The notion of universal fasting can
become a key to overcoming habitual sins so that more rapid spiritual
growth is possible."
In a recent commentary, Dr. Jeffrey
Mirus, President of CatholicCulture.org, reflected on the importance of fasting from non-essentials "to get to the very heart of things - which is where we find God."
To access his complete post, please visit:
Catholic Culture: Even at Easter? On spiritual fasting, according to St. Francis de Sales (25 APR 19)
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