Fasting
But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
Matthew 6:17-18
Jesus shows that fasting is an important practice for believers. Like giving and praying, fasting should be done in secret as an act of worship and not as a display of holiness. At the same time, the church can fast together in unified desperation, surrender and solidarity. There are many good reasons to fast. One reason is to feel in our bodies the hunger and scarcity that mark the lives of the world’s most vulnerable people. Another is to recognize that true nourishment comes from communion with God.
Commitment
We commit to fast from food for at least one 24-hour period each quarter as an act of solidarity with the poor.
Aspiration
We aspire to occasionally fast for longer periods or special occasions and to do so without seeking attention or glory for ourselves.
Solidarity
This practice is an act of solidarity with the poor who feel the pangs of hunger and want due to a lack of material resources.