Prayer at the Beginning of a Fast
Heavenly Father,
as I begin this time of fasting,
this I pray:
Lord, be my strength, my protector, my comfort,
my food.
Nourish me with your peace.
refresh me with your love.
enrich me with your grace.
Jesus,
you knew hunger and loneliness during your days in the desert.
Help me to feel less alone during this fast.
Uplift me when I feel weak.
Support me when I feel tempted.
Help me to keep my eyes fixed on you and to see in your eyes
the suffering eyes of my brothers and sisters,
in all their hunger and yearning.
Holy Spirit,
inspire me to find in my own yearnings and cravings
a deeper yearning for intimacy with you.
Reawaken in my heart your gifts:
Wisdom and understanding, counsel and fortitude,
piety and knowledge
and fear of the Lord.
Direct my thoughts beyond my own weakness —
what I have done and what I have failed to do —
that I may emerge from this fast renewed and restored,
Amen.
— From The Handy Little Guide to Fasting
For more, check out this radio interview I did with Chris Gunty of Baltimore’s Catholic Review newspaper.
