This ONE Fundamental Discipline Changes Everything
Aug 17, 2023
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The podcast discusses the importance and significance of fasting as a spiritual practice in the Catholic faith, exploring how it increases focus on God, humbles the mind and body, and transforms our experience of eating. It also emphasizes the need to keep our focus on Christ in spiritual disciplines and warns against self-centered practices.
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Quick takeaways
Fasting is a fundamental discipline that promotes growth in holiness and helps individuals become more mindful of God, countering the problem of convenience and distractions in today's world.
Fasting humbles the mind and body, creating a hunger for God and transforming desires, serving as a spiritual weapon in the battle against passions and sin.
Deep dives
The Importance of Fasting as a Spiritual Discipline
Fasting is seen as a necessary spiritual discipline that promotes virtue and growth in holiness in today's world. There is a discussion about the aversion to fasting from food and the lack of promotion of this discipline by churches. Fasting is seen as a way to counter the problem of convenience and comfort that has hindered the pursuit of becoming the best version of oneself as instructed by Christ. The desert fathers and their expertise in fasting are highlighted, emphasizing the importance of understanding fasting in relation to Eastern spirituality, mysticism, and the richness of church traditions.
The Role of Fasting in Mindfulness and Focus
Fasting is described as a practice that helps individuals to become more mindful of God and develop a focused relationship with Him. With the prevalence of technology in modern society, distractions often pull people away from mindful living and remembrance of God. By engaging in fasting, individuals are reminded to constantly think about God and seek His grace in all aspects of life. The practice of fasting is tied to physical labor and handiwork, helping individuals to pray constantly even as they engage in their daily tasks. Fasting is seen as a means to combat the captivation of the mind and imagination by the virtual world and redirect attention towards God.
The Transformative Power of Fasting and the Hunger for God
Fasting is portrayed as a discipline that humbles the mind and body, creating a hunger for God that cannot be satisfied by anything else. By recognizing the disordered nature of our appetites, particularly regarding food, fasting prompts individuals to seek God as the sole satisfaction for their deepest longings. The Eucharist is emphasized as the ultimate source of nourishment, transforming the experience of eating and deepening the hunger for a relationship with Christ. Fasting is connected to the transformation of desires, the ordering of relationships with others, and the practice of communion both with God and fellow believers. Fasting serves as a spiritual weapon in the battle against passions and sin, allowing individuals to discern God's will and experience the love, mercy, and compassion of Christ.
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To truly live a great life, you need to discipline your basic appetites, and this one desire hits us every day of our lives. We need men who understand and embrace fasting as the way to holiness that Christ clearly taught us. However, this spiritual practice gets confused and distorted in today's world. Men have become deadened to what is needed to reach the heights of perfection and truly live as a man. Today's guest, Fr. David Abernethy, shares the historical, ontological, and practical depths of this spiritual discipline. Learn how to stay motivated, consistent in your practice, and actually experience growth in holiness.
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