Of Fasting and Fish Fries

Fasting
Is out of fashion.
In a culture of
Over consumption
Under consuming is
Suspect.

Living
Within our means.
Streamlining our stuff.
Eating less than
All-we-can-eat.
Acts of subversion?

Friday Fish Fries:
The supposed fast
Which leaves us stuffed.
Chocolate abstinence
Hardly seems
A sacrifice.

1.4 billion people
In the world live
On less than $2.00 a day.
I wonder
What's in their
Happy meals?

My spirit is
Willing.
Yet all this talk of
Fasting
Gives me a
Headache.

Maybe it's time
For me to put my faith
In the Bread of Life
And remember,
I will not live by
Bread alone.

**************

I have been thinking about fasting for the past few days.

There's a gentleman in Madison who has been on a hunger strike for 27 days in protest of the governor's budget repair bill. Read about him at: http://hungryguymadison.blogspot.com

The folks at Sojourners are currently involved in a fast to protest Federal Budget Cuts that will adversely affect those on the margins in the U.S.: http://www.sojo.net

One of my Facebook friends is considering participating in an Australian project called "Live Below the Line" -- a way of getting ourselves in touch with the multitude of people in this world who earn less than $2 per day. http://livebelowtheline.com.au

Clearly these people and organizations understand the power of food in our world -- the extravagance of those of us in the "have" category and the powerlessness of those in the "have not" category.

I'm seriously considering Holy Week as an opportunity to offer up a fast, both for my own learning and discipline and to listen for ways in which I can be more attentive to those in Milwaukee who go hungry while I simply go to Panera's.