Why do we fast for Lent?

Why do we give things up for Lent and why don’t we eat meat on Fridays during Lent? This week Fr. Clark Philipp ’10 explains that “to fast” comes from the word to hold firm or to get a better grip on something. Our fasting helps us get a better grasp on our lives so that we are able to give them away as a gift. He continues that we can only truly find ourselves and discover the richness of who we are meant to be by giving ourselves away. Fasting also reminds us that we hunger for something more in life. Physical needs will only satisfy us temporarily, but it is in Communion with Christ when we will fully be satiated. By not eating meat on Fridays we are offering to Christ a sacrifice in remembering his ultimate gift of self for us, by dying on the cross for our sins. The next time you crave the item you gave up for Lent or maybe even complain about the inconvenience of not eating meat on Fridays, perhaps you can turn it into a prayer or a gift of self, to remember that through your fasting you can build a better relationship with the one who loves you more than life itself. 

Watch Fr. Philipp’s full explanation here.

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