FORTY THIRD ANNUAL
FAST FOR THE TRUTH OF
GOSPEL NONVIOLENCE
(July1–August 9)
Friends and enemies,
Tomorrow, July 1, begins the 43rd Annual time of prayer and fasting for the truth of Gospel Nonviolent Love of friends and enemies as proclaimed and lived by Jesus the Messiah of Judaism and Savior of the world, If you feel called by God to participate in the Fast with others across the world at this hour in history, then please answer that call.
There is no specific way to participate. Some folks do a liquid fast for the Forty days as their way of participation. Some say the FAST prayer attached below or other prayers. On this side of Eternity there is no way to evaluate the power and worth of any effort that is made. As long as it is done with Christlike love our faith tells us that it has the Power of God in it, for God is love and Jesus is God “made flesh.” The parable that Jesus tells of the woman who put one shekel into the Temple treasury having thereby given more to God and for God to work with than others who gave much more is most pertinent here.
“Only God is good,” Jesus tells us. Since Jesus is God Incarnate, His words and deeds are good. To do what Jesus would do, to love as Christ loves, is to do a good act which act will have good effects because it contains the infinite power of God, i.e. love.
As St. John of the Cross wrote 500 years ago,
Nothing is better or more necessary than love.
God is pleased with nothing but love.
One act of pure love is more precious in the eyes of God
and of the soul, and more profitable to the Church,
than all the good works together,
though it may seem as nothing.”
A little one minute prayer said with Christlike love for the intention of the FAST is desired, needed and will be honored by God. Likewise the smallest physical sacrifice, e.g. giving up your weekly ice creme soda if done for the intention of the FAST is “more precious in the eyes of God and of the soul, and more profitable to the Church, than all other good works together.” Is this hard to believe? It is certainly no harder to believe than that Jesus’ Cross of Nonviolent Love on Golgotha—where His sacrifice of love for His friends and even His lethal enemies took place and where His prayer of love to His Father for His enemies took place, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do,”—would result in His Resurrection!
This Forty Day time of PRAYER AND FASTING FOR THE TRUTH OF GOSPEL NONVIOLENT LOVE OF FRIENDS AND ENEMIES, since year one, has been built on the faith foundation of the Cross of Christ and its revelation that the good deed will ultimately have good results, that is, the good deed of Christlike Love will save from evil in all its ugly and repulsive expressions, including violence, war, abortion, capital punishment, oppression, greed, fear and death, to name but a few It is the power of the Godlike, Christlike, deed of love as ultimately made visible in Jesus, the Christ, crucifixion that saves
If today you hear the voice of the Lord, do come and participate with Christlike love in the FAST FOR THE TRUTH OF GOSPEL NONVIOLENT LOVE.
-Emmanuel Charles McCarthy
“Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Love.
Heaven and earth are full of Your glory!
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is He, Who comes in the Name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest!”
