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Do you ever notice things coming up over and over again in your life? Whether it’s a word, an idea, a theme, or any number of other things. Sometimes it’s a coincidence, but often it’s the way that God is trying to bring something to your attention.
For me, I’ve been reading a lot about the Holy Spirit and the importance of prayer and fasting. I didn’t necessarily seek those themes out, but I’ve noticed them pop up in the many books I’m reading, podcasts I’m listening to, and conversations I’m having. All three of these themes are mentioned twice in our first reading. So what is the Lord trying to say? I think we can look at Barnabas and Saul for some insight in that regard.
“While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.’ Then, completing their fasting and prayer, they laid hands on them and sent them off.”
Barnabas and Saul were very holy men who were attuned to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. They and their companions heard His voice so well they were able to even dictate what He was calling them to. That’s why we can read it today, but how did they get to that point? How did they learn God’s voice in the Holy Spirit?
Prayer and fasting.
Prayer and fasting are important in our lived relationship with the Holy Spirit. Why? Because they give Him more space in our hearts. Prayer puts us in relationship with the Triune God. That’s how we communicate with each other. Fasting teaches us to let go of our earthly attachments and selfish desires in favor of the things of God. It disciplines our body not to give into everything we want but long for what God wants for us.
Barnabas and Saul were able to respond to God’s invitation to the priesthood and to their great mission of preaching to the Gentiles because they were receptive to His word. They ordered their entire lives in such as a way as to always be able to hear God’s whisper in their hearts.
As always, this habit isn’t only for the first generation of apostles. Prayer and fasting is something also called to in a radical way. Traditionally, abstaining from meat on Fridays wasn’t just during Lent. In fact, the Church used to ask that the faithful abstain from meat on Fridays and Wednesdays! There used to be (and still are to some degree) quarterly days of prayer and fasting called ember days. This was a Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday that the Church set aside for prayer and fasting. “The purpose of their introduction, besides the general one intended by all prayer and fasting, was to thank God for the gifts of nature, to teach men to make use of them in moderation, and to assist the needy” (newadvent.com).
I think Christians everywhere can agree that God should be the center of our lives. Everything that we do should be in, through, and for Him. How that actually gets lived out is a different story, but prayer and fasting is meant to help. How are you going to integrate these two vital parts of the spiritual life into your life?
-Amanda Benner, Director of Evangelization