May 27-Jun28, 2024
The Apostles Fast is for those who prepare to go and preach the Good News with signs and wonders, compassion and love.
“Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come, when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.” — Jesus Christ
According to the early Christian tradition, after Pentecost the Apostles fasted and prayed as a preparation to go out to the nations. We are calling all to pray and fast for those with the apostolic call, forerunners and pioneers. Pray for revival, renewal, clarity and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit in our lives, our families, churches and cities.
The Apostles Fast video:
🎯spiritual, physical, and mental benefits of fasting for your body, soul, and spirit 🎯Desert Fathers’ practices of fasting, silence, and prayer 🎯why you can not go out without fasting to do apostolic and evangelistic work 🎯value of community in prayer and fasting and sending out apostles, evangelists, and prophets 🎯how prayer strengthens fasting and enables you to hear the voice of God and takes intermittent fasting to the next level
Early Christians practiced four fasts yearly: Nativity, Lent, Apostles and Dormition. Today, mostly Eastern Christians (Orthodox, Eastern rite Catholics, Antiochian, Copts) still observe all four. The Apostles fast starts week after Pentecost and ends on June 28, day before the Feast of Sts Peter and Paul.
“After the long Feast of Pentecost, fasting is especially necessary to purify our thoughts and render us worthy to receive the Gifts of the Holy Spirit … Therefore, the salutary custom was established of fasting after the joyful days during which we celebrated the resurrection and ascension of our Lord, and the coming of the Holy Spirit”
Feasts during Apostles Fast are listed below:
May 30
The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ
June 7
Solemnity of Most Sacred Heart of Jesus
June 24
Solemnity of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist
June 29
Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles
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PRAYER
Pray for the sanctifying gifts of the Holy Spirit assisting us in the process of holiness: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety and fear of the Lord. Pray for the charismatic gifts of the Holy Spirit, given to us for the good of others: revelatory gifts (words of knowledge and wisdom, discernment), communication gifts (tongues, interpretation of tongues and prophecy), power gifts (faith, healing, miracles). Pray for the ministerial gifts of the Holy Spirit: apostles, prophets, evangelists, teachers, shepherds.
Spiritual reading and lectio divina
Follow daily Mass readings.
Join our Stone to Flesh Fasting Fg Group for support, reflections, prayer requests, recipes and more.
CHARITY AND ALMSGIVING
Pray for the way in which you may give sacrificially during the Apostles Fast. Give your time, energy or money. Give yourself to others in need.
FASTING
The guidelines of the fast are less strict than those followed during the Great Lent and the Nativity Fast, but Eastern Catholics and Orthodox are still required to abstain from eating meat and dairy products during this time. They also abstain from fish, wine, and oil on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and from fish on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Fish is permitted on Saturdays and Sundays and on commemorations of certain great saints (e.g., the Feast of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist on June 24).
Fasting should be done after personal discernment, consultation with spiritual director and/or a doctor, in case you have some health issues.
Can the Apostles Fast be modified? Yes, there are several types of fast.
1. Water fast: you drink only water throughout the whole fast.
2. Liquid fast: you drink only water, veggie broth, herbal teas and highly diluted juices.
3. Daniel fast: as in the Book of Daniel chapter 1, you eat only vegetables, including juicing or as in the Daniel chapter 10, you eat vegetables, fruits, grains. You drink only water and herbal teas.
4. Abstinence fast: you abstain from certain kinds of foods and you moderate the amount of food you eat.
