Fasting Forward: Aligning Our Spirits for Lent

By Maryellen Harrington, Director of Lay Engagement

Lent calls the faithful to be renewed and 40 women from the St. Jude Council of Catholic Women gathered for a day of reflection in the spirit of that renewal. The CCW invited our Office of Lay Engagement to direct their annual Lenten Retreat. The retreat theme, “Fasting Forward: Aligning Our Spirits for Lent” invited participants to reflect on fasting not as deprivation but as a means of returning to God and cultivating acts of compassion in the spirit of St. Augustine.

Fasting as a Return to God.

A central reflection of the retreat was St. Augustine’s words from Confessions (Book X, Chapter 27):

"Too late loved I Thee, O Thou Beauty of ancient days, yet ever new! Too late I loved Thee! And behold, Thou wert within, and I abroad, and there I searched for Thee; Thou wert with me, but I was not with Thee."

Augustine’s insight reminds us that fasting is not about external sacrifice alone but about removing the distractions that keep us from recognizing God within. The women reflected on how fasting—whether from busyness, negativity, or impatience—can open the heart to deeper prayer and spiritual renewal.

Fasting and Compassion.

Fasting is incomplete without a corresponding increase in love. The women explored this connection through Isaiah’s words:

"Is this not, rather, the fast that I choose: releasing those bound unjustly, untying the thongs of the yoke; Setting free the oppressed, breaking off every yoke?" (Isaiah 58:6)

Discussions centered on how fasting leads to action: replacing impatience with gentleness, prioritizing time for prayer, and practicing intentional acts of kindness. The retreat underscored St. Augustine’s call to seek God through both contemplation and service.

Walking Together in Lent.

Lent is a journey that is best walked in community. The women shared how mutual encouragement—through prayer partners, small groups, or simple acts of accountability—can deepen the spiritual discipline of fasting.

The retreat closed with a communal prayer, sending the women forth with renewed hearts. As they entered Lent, they did so not with a sense of lack but with a greater awareness of God’s presence—knowing that true fasting makes space for grace and love.