Lenten Disciplines

home title Posted by Fr. Ron on Mar 12th, 2010 | no comments home title

Q. Why do we pray, fast, and give to the poor during lent?

A.  For the Holy Cure of Ars—Prayer, Fasting, and Almsgiving were not only Lenten disciplines but an every day way of life. Because while Lent is a time that reminds us of the heroic struggle between our Lord and the Devil in the wilderness the fact of the matter is that this struggle for our souls continues feast or fast throughout our entire lives.

As we read in the First Letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians (9:24-25)

While all the runners in the stadium take part in the race, the award goes to one person. In that case, run so as to win! Athletes deny themselves all sorts of things. They do this to win a crown of leaves that withers, but we a crown that is imperishable.

Thus…I drive my body and train it, for fear that, having preached to others, I myself should be disqualified.
These words of St . Paul capture, it seems, the life that the Holy Cure of Ars lived. A life full of training and self-sacrifice at least equal in intensity to that of an Olympic Athlete!
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From a Lecture given by Rev. Ronnie P. Floyd, STL entitled The Cure of Ars on Prayer, Fasting, and Almsgiving, a part of the Year of the Priest St. Jean-Marie Vianney lecture series at St. Francis Xavier in Acushnet.
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