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April 18, 2025 – April 19, 2025
On the Friday marking Jesus's Crucifixion, we begin a 24-hour fast to partake in Jesus's suffering and death.
Fasting is training in the practice of the teaching of Jesus “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God’” (Matthew 4:4). Through fasting, we can train our hearts—hearts that are mixed with worldly teachings, sinful desires, and wrong customs and habits—to renew our spirituality. With fasting, we also practice controlling our physical desires. This is to practice the teaching of Jesus “Do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:31-33 NIV). Fasting helps us keep balance in our Christian lives while in the world. How easily we allow nonessentials to take precedence in our lives!
We partake in this basic step of a 24-hour fast by refraining from eating between lunch on Friday and lunch on Saturday. This means that we will not eat two meals, an evening meal and a breakfast. Liquids are not part of the fast; you can drink liquids during the fast.