How I Live Now Part VI Lent Edition

**Spoilers Alert!*** In this post on the movie How I Live Now, a connection will be made between the last post about fasting and the post about Daisy's dialog.

Image source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mirror_of_erised/9627836210/meta/

During the movie, Daisy went through a transformation in three main steps. Daisy said, "Before the war, I used my will power for stupid stuff like not eating chocolate." During the war, as was mentioned in the last post, she had to give up many things to help the war effort. In the post with her dialog, she gave things up for the sake of Eddie.

In Lent, many of us give up "stupid stuff" like chocolate, sweets, or ice cream. This is a good start, for to get to the last stage like Daisy did, it has to start with the small things. It may seem stupid in the beginning, but with reflection, it may turn out that it wasn't so stupid after all.

Since we are corporal beings ("embodied souls"), quite often it takes corporal actions for us to realize things. For Daisy, it could well be the case that the "stupid stuff" was actually a jumping off for her next challenge during the war that is shown in the image above, namely, taking care of her cousin.

In a similar way, even though our motives may not be the best for fasting from whatever we gave up, we may eventually realize in a more profound way what the fasting is for (like in the last post).

From there, as a final goal, fasting during Lent will hopefully lead us to reach out for Our Lord as Daisy reached out for Eddie. "Now I use my will power to wait for you Eddie."

May we use our will power to (1) love God and neighbor and (2) wait for the Lord at His second coming for, "Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again." Amen.

How I Live Now Part I
How I Live Now Part II
How I Live Now Part III
How I Live Now Part IV
How I Live Now Part V Ash Wednesday Edition

How I Live Now Part V Ash Wednesday Edition

Collect [for Ash Wednesday, First Day of Lent]

Grant, O Lord,
that we may begin with holy fasting
this campaign of Christian service,
so that, as we take up battle against spiritual evils,
we may be armed with weapons of self-restraint.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.

Image source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mirror_of_erised/9624592747/meta/

In the How I Live Now movie, during the war, Daisy and her cousin had to eat only rations. Rations were only eaten because most resources had to be used for the war effort. People back home had to sacrifice for their long-term safety and prosperity. Their weapons were "self-restraint" to strengthen the chances of victory on the battlefield. All of this was done so that all could go home in peace, so Daisy and Eddie could meet again "at home".

In a similar way, "holy fasting" is a necessary course for the "battle against spiritual evils". We personally and corporately (Church) battle against forces who want to separate us from God. All of this is done so that we can go home to peace in heaven.

How I Live Now Part I
How I Live Now Part II
How I Live Now Part III
How I Live Now Part IV