Fasting: Augustine on Fasting and the Heart

Augustine of Hippo taught that fasting without interior transformation is worthless. He wrote: "Fasting cleanses the soul, raises the mind, subjects one's flesh to the spirit, renders the heart contrite and humble, scatters the clouds of concupiscence, quenches the fire of lust, and kindles the true light of chastity. Enter again into yourself." Yet he was equally insistent that fasting is not primarily about abstaining from food.

"Do you fast? Give me proof of it by your works. If you see a poor man, take pity on him. If you see a friend being honored, do not envy him. Do not let only your mouth fast, but also the eye, and the ear, and the feet, and the hands, and all the members of the body." For Augustine, the fast from food was meant to awaken a deeper fast from sin and selfishness.

Practical application: When you fast from food, pair it with a "fast" from a habitual sin or distraction. Fast from complaining, from social media, from gossip, or from hurrying. Let the physical hunger remind you of the spiritual discipline. Augustine teaches that the body's fast trains the soul.