Fasting or abstaining is a common practice for Catholics during the season of Lent. The idea of fasting during Lent actually dates back to 325 A.D. with the tradition of a forty-day fast period. The rules of fasting are very specific: every person fourteen years and older must abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, as well as all Fridays in Lent. As Catholics, Lent is a time of sacrifice and renewal; thus, we can practice a form of modern fasting along with traditional fasting. Some examples of modern fasting include fasting from social media, profanity, laziness, and pride. Lent can not only be a time of spiritual growth but individual growth too- by fasting from things like negativity and self-deprecation, we can improve our spiritual and personal attitudes. By growing stronger in heart as well as mind, we can grow closer to Christ while working to better ourselves not only as Catholics, but as human beings.
