Do This In Memory of Me: Fasting

By Laura Worhacz

"The Spirit of Sacrifice: There is a third disposition of heart necessary if we are to follow Jesus faithfully, and that is the spirit of sacrifice. We must be ready to sacrifice everything to the life and to the love of Jesus within us." (St. Peter Julian Eymard, Eucharistic Retreats, Eymard Library Vol. 3)


Dearest Eucharistic Family:

And he said to them: “This kind can go out by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.” (Mark 9:29) Fasting is a grand invitation to God's Merciful Love. It must be a deep internal offering that comes from the Divine union of one's soul to magnify the Lord in a very interior and personal sincere relationship, simply between you and God. The Reception of Holy Communion, Sacramentally or Spiritually will lead us more and more into the knowledge of God's love for us. We will then long for reciprocity, a return of love to the One who first loved us. What can we do, what can we offer? The answer will be different for each individual. St. Peter Julian Eymard offers us these words, " We must be ready to sacrifice everything to the life and to the love of Jesus within us." Certain evils can only be cast out by prayer and fasting, WHY? Jesus' answer to this question is found in the MYSTERY OF THE CROSS. He first showed us the way to sacrifice: Jesus' very life for our salvation, our human frailties, our denial to God in the original sin of Adam and Eve, and our self willfulness are all redeemed by the offering of His Life. Sacrifices freely offered lead us to follow the WILL of God; they help us in the gift of self control. We hand over all we desire to let God Reign in our lives; this is the Eucharistic Reign of Jesus Christ. We must be careful in our fasts; we cannot offer them in an underlying hope to control God or our bodies or the intentions we are offering them for. If we choose to fast the offering must come from love, the love we are giving in a gift back to Our Father. God will accept our sacrifice in charity of faith and hope in union with His Love, contributed where it is most needed. There is a great connection of body and soul. Fasting with the right intent will cast out evils, first in us and then in others. To identify with those suffering from lack of food and water will instill a great inspiration in the consecrated child of Mary to fast. We can be rich, we can be poor, wherever the Lord has us our hearts can be united to our neighbors who suffer. We give up to greater identify with those who cannot and do not have, food, water, love. Sacrifices hidden and presented to The Heavenly Father will bring down upon us the Mercy of God, a humble and contrite heart O God You will not spurn. A sacrifice to God is an afflicted spirit: a contrite and humbled heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.(Psalm 51:17) Our Lady of the Most Blessed Sacrament lived in the Divine Union of Sacrifice, her life for HIS LOVE!
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Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament.

Please recite and direct your hearts to your consecration promise as a daily renewal.

Blessed are you Mary, exalted daughter of Sion!
You are highly favoured and full of grace, for the spirit of God descended upon you. We magnify the Lord and rejoice with you for the gift of the Word made flesh, bread of life and cup of joy.
Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament, our model of prayer in the cenacle, pray for us that we may become what we receive, the body of Christ your son. Amen.