Voting, Spiritual Direction, and Fasting
Fr. Josh answers questions about voting when not one candidate’s platform aligns totally with Catholic teaching, how to discern finding a spiritual director, and the correct way to approach fasting. If you have a question, comment, or response for Fr. Josh, email us at askfrjosh@ascensionpress.com. You may hear your question or comment in an upcoming podcast episode!
Snippet from the Show
When we fast from things that bring us pleasure, we feel what we are missing. That feeling should remind us how much we ought to be longing for Jesus. Turn to Jesus instead of turning toward passing pleasure to fill your desires.
SHOWNOTES
Glory Story (1:08)
Part 2: The Adventures of Fr. Josh and Fr. Ruben Fr. Josh and Fr. Rueben are trying to get to Assisi but keep missing every flight! They remember that even when it seems like God the Father is not blessing us, he really is giving us exactly what they need to become saints.Listener Feedback (7:26)
Spiritual Direction (11:00)
My husband and I both feel like we need some spiritual direction, but we don’t really know how it works or how to go about finding someone, especially when priests are so busy. Could you possibly explain how spiritual direction works, and give some advice about finding a spiritual director? -SophieFasting (20:42)
My name is Nicholas. I would like to start by saying you have put into perspective an understanding of God’s words and teachings for me with these podcasts, and I pray that the Lord allows you to continue to help guide us on our path to understanding and accepting Him as our Savior! I am a 29 year old veteran who has done sin my whole life. It pains me to admit my sins but, it has to be done. Recently I have truly began to accept Christ in my heart and it feels amazing!!! My fiancé, whom I love dearly, and I are having a baby!!! I am so happy and overjoyed and I know that the Lord forgave us (you know), because in my heart I know that if he hadn’t there would be no way we would be BLESSED with a baby!!! I'm crying while writing this from joy lol. I want help and guidance in fasting properly and feel that I have to do more to please the Lord, and this is not forced feelings. I want to show the Lord my dedication and devotion for Him in thanks and gratitude by sacrificing something I enjoy. However, I want to make sure I’m doing it correctly. Thank you sir for any help and guidance on this. I hope you have a blessed weekend! -NicholasVoting (30:35)
Thank you for the gift of your podcast! I listen to it on my way to work and it puts my mind in a great space for the whole day. My question is a bit controversial. With elections coming up, I have always wondered how do we pick a candidate when either side agrees with something we speak against in the Catholic Church. For example: a democratic candidate might be Pro-Choice, but a republican candidate might speak out against immigration. Is there a specific issue we should be focused on? I have always considered myself neither Republican nor Democratic because my identity is I am a daughter of Christ, but I do struggle with knowing which side to vote for in an election. I know this has the potential to “ruffle some feathers”, but I have always wanted to know what the church calls for us to vote for. Thank you again for hosting an awesome podcast! -Your Sister in ChristUniversal Points (39:11)
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- Spiritual Direction - God is calling you to be a saint and so your discernment is, “Do I need an official spiritual director to accompany me.” If you don’t need a spiritual director then who can walk with you as a spiritual friend?
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- Fasting - The point of fasting is to deny ourselves things so we can have more room for Jesus.
- Voting - We are called to inform our consciences which should be rooted in Jesus Christ. Do not settle for evil when voting. Strive for that which is good, the greatest good being Jesus.
Resources
- Broken and Blessed by Fr. Josh Johnson
