Fast, Pray, Act

One of the organizations I belong to is Bread for the World; it's an organization whose purpose is to raise public consciousness about hunger issues, and urge people of faith to speak out to help reduce and eliminate hunger, both domestic and international. I've been aware of the organization since my Jesuit Volunteer Corps days -- that's over 35 years. One of their efforts is to encourage churches to organize an "Offering of Letters," to their elected officials, about the importance of hunger/food issues.

The current president of BFW is David Beckman, a Lutheran pastor, and this past Monday he, along with four other leaders, announced that he would begin a water-only fast, for one week. They did this "to make a public stand, as Congress has proposed massive budget cuts that disproportionately affect the poor among us." You can see his picture and read the story on his "BreadBlog."

He is not the only religious leader calling for fasting in response to our times. Rev. Jim Wallis of Sojourners Magazine is encouraging Christians everywhere to join in a movement, called Fast, Pray, Take Action: For a Moral Budget. This effort doesn't have to be a water-only fast! It encourages people of faith everywhere to join together in fasting, praying, and contacting their government officials -- to speak up for those without money or power or influence, those who will be hurt the most by current budget-busting proposals.

You don't have to join either of these organizations in order to join in their effort. Sojourners will send you a weekly inspirational message, and a suggestion for action. In his own recent blog, the Discipline of Fasting, Reverend Wallis offers a number of quotes for reflection. Here are a couple I liked:

**"More than any other Discipline, fasting reveals the things that control us."
**"Fasting reminds us that we are sustained ‘by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God’ (Matt. 4.4). Food does not sustain us, God sustains us."
**"Fasting helps us keep our balance in life. How easily we begin to allow nonessentials to take precedence in our lives. How quickly we crave things we do not need until we are enslaved by them."

I signed up. I wrote a couple of letters already this week. My representative (Jim McDermott) and senators (Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell) already are inclined to agree with me on these issues, but reminding them that this is important is still something they need to hear.

The fast? Well actually, it's hard; but it's really good for me, too. I DO feel closer to God. I DO feel closer to those who don't have the option to eat the way I can. I DO feel more free, too, to speak out for them.

Try it. Let me know what goes on inside of you, when you do.