fast from food, feast on the bible
"The word is near you, on your lips and in your heart." —Romans 10:8; see also Deuteronomy 30:14
Lent is a time of fasting, but Lent is not a time of famine — that is, a famine for the word of God (compare Am 8:11). Yes, give up food for fasting, but also begin a feast: a feast for the Word of God. Feast daily on the Bible this Lent. Through daily Bible reading:
- you won't be as hungry for food, for God's word will feed you and satisfy your hunger (Mt 4:4),
- you will experience the power of Scripture to lead to conversion and salvation for both yourself and those with whom you share it (Rm 1:16),
- you are set free to overcome temptation and the devil through the power of the Holy Spirit wielding God's Word through you (see Jn 8:31-32; Eph 6:17; Mt 4:4-11),
- you will know Jesus more deeply, for "ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ" (Catechism, 133), and
- you will store the words of the Bible in your heart to help avoid sin (Ps 119:11).
This Lent and all your life, the devil will tempt you to stay away from daily Scripture reading. Defeat Satan by reading extra passages of the Bible each day in Lent (see Acts 17:11). Let your Lenten Scripture feasting be a foreshadowing of the heavenly feast (Rv 19:9).
Prayer: Father, this Lent may hundreds of thousands of Catholics begin reading and sharing the Bible daily.
Promise: "If you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." —Rm 10:9
Praise: Praise Jesus, the Living Word, Who is the Way to the Father (Jn 14:6).
Reference: (This teaching was submitted by a member of our editorial team.)
Rescript: †Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, August 26, 2009
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