Fasting is the soul of prayer, mercy is the lifeblood of fasting. If we have not all three together, we have nothing.
— St. Peter Chrysologus (380-450)
Lord of the winds, I cry to Thee.
I that am dust,
And blown about by every gust
I fly to Thee.
Lord of the waters, unto Thee I call.
I am weed upon the waters borne,
And by the waters torn,
Tossed by the waters, at Thy feet I fall.
— Mary Elizabeth Coleridge (1861-1907)
Blessed are you, Lord, God of all creation:
you make us hunger and thirst for holiness.
Blessed are you, Lord, God of all creation:
you call us to true fasting:
to set free the oppressed,
to share our bread with the hungry,
to shelter the homeless and to clothe the naked.
— Catholic Household Blessings and Prayers
Merciful God,
you called us forth from the dust of the earth;
you claimed us for Christ in the waters of baptism.
Look upon us as we enter these Forty days
bearing the mark of ashes,
and bless our journey through the desert of Lent
to the font of rebirth.
May our fasting be hunger for justice; our alms, a making of peace;
our prayer, the chant of humble and grateful hearts.
All that we do and pray is in the name of Jesus,
for in his cross you proclaim your love
forever and ever.
Amen.
— Catholic Household Blessings and Prayers
O Lord, who has mercy upon us all,
take away from me my sins,
and mercifully kindle in me
the fire of the Holy Spirit.
Take away from me the heart of stone,
and give me a heart of flesh,
a heart to love and adore Thee,
a heart to delight in Thee,
to follow and enjoy Thee, for Christ's sake.
Amen.
— St. Ambrose of Milan (339-397)
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