“Fasting is the soul of prayer, mercy is the lifeblood of fasting. So if you pray, fast; if you fast, show mercy; if you want your petition to be heard, hear the petition of others. If you do not close your ear to others, you open God’s ear to yourself.”  - Saint Peter Chrysologus

Great God, bless our season of Lent with a hunger for Your love, with eyes to see the hunger of others, and with hands to heal it. Let us fast from flesh and culture, from sin and greed, from hate and war. O Lord, fill us instead with mercy for the hungry, the homeless, and the hurting. And when Easter arrives, may this season of love never cease, but be resurrected each day in our hearts and hands. 

Amen.