Actions of Motherhood a Form of Fasting

Gospel reading today Mark 2:18-22

"Do you expect the guests at a wedding party to go without food? Of course not! As long as the bridegroom is with them, they will not do that. But the day will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast." Mark 2:19

I have been thinking alot about fasting lately and funny that today's gospel reading is on this subject. I have learned more in my short four and half years of motherhood than I have in my entire life. I have also grown vastly in my faith. I believe one of the main reasons I have grown so much in my faith is because of the form of fasting we perform each day in motherhood. Fasting is turning away from selfish desires and turning to Christ in prayer. As mothers, our lives our a prayer and we fast from the moment of conception of our first child from selfish desires. All of the sudden when we become mothers, selfishness flies out the window and this is the greatest form of love. To lay our life down for a friend (family). As mothers, one of the greatest forms of fasting is sleep deprivation. I truly believe this is a form of fasting. For there are times when there is nothing more you want in life at 3:00 in the morning than to keep sleeping, but "Christ" is calling you in the other room. So what do we do? We rise up from our slumber and go serve our Lord through our Children. We turn from sleep and rise in prayer in service to our family. Another form of fasting for the souls of ourselves and our family is the moments that you want to lose your mind. I find myself saying out loud in those desperate moments, "Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy, Lord have mercy!" I cry out to the Lord to have mercy on my soul in these moments of sheer hell! (I think you all know those moments I am talking about!) One in which when I try to load my children in the car (ages 4,2,1) when they are tired and hungry....this is a moment when I fast from earthly desires of peace and tranquility. Another form of fasting, I believe, is when our children are sick. We are up most of the night with them and then into the day the one who is sick doesn't want you to put her down and the others want you to hold them. At that moment you are fasting from freedom....you are being held captive by these little souls! Another form of fasting is mothers who fast from the comforts of their well paying beloved career to give their lives for their families. They are turning from selfish desires (of enticing "food") and fast on a life of "bread and water" in the worlds eyes. God sees this beautiful act of self giving and will bless their families for it.

I am reminded this morning of the scipture reading(I don't know it by heart and don't have time to find at the moment)that says when we fast, we are suppose to wash our face and comb our hair and to not let anyone know we are fasting. So this is a call (especially to myself) to all of us mothers, to lift up prayers of salvation for our family or for a loved one in need through our hard days of motherhood. To not complain to our husbands about the "hell" we go through that no one sees, but to rest in knowing the most important person sees.. Our Father. This is truly all that matters in life.

Fasting is a beautiful form of prayer that will draw us closer to Jesus. Lately things are calm (dare I say that?) at the moment around our home and I am going to try to start fasting on food as well. I am not good at this and hope to get better. When I fast from food, I am going to lift up prayers for a family member I am praying to come back to the church as well as for my children....that they will always be guided to take the straight and narrow path in life.

Blessings to you this Monday!