Fasting prayer: offering a day of fasting to God
Turning hunger into prayer, for Lent, Fridays, or a special intention
Morning Prayer editorial team · Updated: November 2026
Jesus fasted forty days in the desert, and the Church still asks us to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday and to practice some self-denial every Friday. Pray this prayer at the start of a day of fasting, so that your hunger becomes a prayer and not merely a diet.
Let us pray
Lord Jesus, You went into the desert and fasted for forty days before You began Your work. Today I follow You there, in a small way. I am setting aside food for a time, not because food is bad, but because I want to remember that I do not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.
Receive this fast as a prayer. Each time my stomach reminds me of what I have given up, let it also remind me of what I am asking: (name your intention). Let the emptiness in my body make room in my soul for You.
Keep me honest. Do not let me fast with a sour face so that others will notice, or feel superior to those who are not fasting. Wash my face, as You said, and let my hunger be a secret between us. Keep me from irritability with my family and coworkers; let the discipline make me gentler, not sharper.
I unite my small sacrifice with Your great one on the cross, and with the hunger of the poor who do not choose to go without. Open my hands as well as my heart: show me whom I can feed, forgive, or visit today with the time and money this fast sets free.
Holy Spirit, strengthen my will when it weakens by afternoon. Mary, who kept the fasts of Israel in Nazareth, pray for me. And when I break this fast, let the first bite be eaten with thanksgiving. Amen.
Blessing
May your fasting be pleasing to God and fruitful for your soul, and may He feed you with the bread that does not perish.
How to pray this prayer
- Find a quiet moment and breathe slowly.
- Read the prayer aloud or in your heart.
- Add your own intention before the Amen.
Frequently asked questions
What does the Church ask regarding fasting?
Catholics aged 18 to 59 fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday: one full meal and two smaller ones that together do not equal a full meal. Catholics 14 and older abstain from meat on those days and on the Fridays of Lent. Those who are ill, pregnant, nursing, or doing heavy labor are excused.
Can I fast for a particular intention?
Yes. Scripture shows people fasting for guidance, for repentance, and for others in need. Naming your intention at the start of the fast, and returning to it each time you feel hungry, turns the whole day into intercession.
What if I break my fast by mistake?
Do not be discouraged. Simply thank God for the food, renew your intention, and continue. Fasting is a means to love God, not a test to pass perfectly.
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