[nubeliever]

Sorry for dumb question (new member) when it's said to "fast" i don't quite understand do you hold off from all food? how often? any info...explaining this.. Thanks!

[lheraly]

Hi Nubeliever, people fast in many different ways, some only drink water and have no food for a 24 hour period, or from sun-up to sun-down. Others may only eat fruit or some may only have tea. I eat gluten free, and what I strive for when I fast is to only eat gluten free bread or crackers, and I do put some butter or peanut butter on it. I'm trying to wean myself gently and slowly off of caffeine, so that I can only drink water and not coffee or tea on fasting days. One of Mary's messages was that when you say, for example, "today I won't eat chocolate" or, "today I won't eat meat", that is not fasting - that is abstaining from that particular food. Wayne Weible's books about Medjugorje are wonderful, and he addresses fasting and how challenging it is. It's one of the hardest things for me to do out of all of Mary's messages. Wayne Weible says that Mary appreciates our efforts!! ~Peace, Laura

[lheraly]

I forgot an important thing! Mary has said in her messages that a fast on bread and water is the best fast. I have wondered if this is because maybe we stand a better chance to be successful on bread and water than on no food at all? ~Laura

[Andy08]

Without getting into a long discussion, here are a few simple thoughts as to why bread and water as the best fast:

Christ is the bread of life, hence the request to eat bread. Interesting thing about bread is it rises when baked. It comes from wheat that has to be crushed and destroyed to create flour the primary ingredient of bread. It has to die and rise to become bread. Water is everywhere in Christianity and Catholicism. Someone more knowledgeable than me can go into water as symbol.

Jesus is the bread of life. He chose bread for a reason. He didn't choose bananas for the last supper or tomatoes, He's not the peanut butter of life but the bread of life. Bread and water makes perfect sense as the minimal sustenance for a fast. If you can manage this fast you will see the spiritual benefits on the fast days and in your life.

Blessings,

Andy