True Fasting

‘When you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that your fasting may be seen not by others but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you' Matthew 6: 17, 18.

Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, which this year is March 1st. The previous day is Shrove Tuesday, when by tradition all the rich and tasty foods in store were consumed so that they wouldn't present a source of temptation to those observing the Lenten fast. That accounts for its French name, Mardi Gras, literally 'Fat Tuesday'. It might seem odd to precede a fast with a binge, but at least people did take the whole notion of fasting seriously in those days.

The Bible, including the New Testament, is quite clear that fasting ('for a season') is a helpful spiritual discipline.
In this passage from the Sermon on the Mount, for instance, Jesus contrasts hypocritical fasting, which was done purely for show, with the real thing, which his disciples are expected to observe. This 'real thing' is an inner 'fasting' of the spirit, rather than an occasion for scoring spiritual Brownie points.  Those who fast are encouraged to look and act normally - to attend to their appearance in the usual way. 

On two occasions in the Acts of the Apostles the Christians are recorded as praying and fasting. Both marked significant steps forward in the mission of the young Church. The first was when the church at Antioch, 'worshipping the Lord and fasting', set apart Paul and Barnabas for the first mission to the Gentiles (13:2). The second was when Paul and Barnabas 'with prayer and fasting' appointed elders (presbyters) for each of the new churches and entrusted the converts to the Lord (14:23).

True fasting is a matter of inner seriousness. It's not intended to help us lose weight, but to grow in grace!