Thursday 12 February 2009

Pope Benedict XVI's Message for Lent 2009: Fasting

Pope Benedict XVI has dedicated his Lenten Message for 2009 to the subject of fasting. Here is an extract that caught my eye:

In our own day, fasting seems to have lost something of its spiritual meaning, and has taken on, in a culture characterized by the search for material well-being, a therapeutic value for the care of one's body. Fasting certainly bring benefits to physical well-being, but for believers, it is, in the first place, a "therapy" to heal all that prevents them from conformity to the will of God.

Now, Blog-by-the-Sea has posted on Books and other Ideas for Lent. I was particularly struck by the Lenten recipe book she refers to....

It was interesting to see that the President of the Pontifical Council Cor Unum and the Executive Director of the UN World Food Programme were speakers at the press conference to present Pope Benedict's message.

I am not sure that I am looking forward to Lent this year ....

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

zero says
Will you be practising what the holy father is preaching?!

Joe said...

Hmmmmm ....

Anonymous said...

Do you remember a contributer to your"Pick and mix" blog suggested that the Holy Father might have a thought or opinion on something but we didn't necessarily have to think the same? Could it be the same with regard to the Fasting!

Joe said...

Does a low cholesterol diet count as fasting? If I stick to it, that is..

Anonymous said...

zero says
No it does not!