An Ash Wednesday Prayer

Grant, Lord, that during this season of Lent, I may
fast from discontent and feast on gratitude;
fast from anger and feast on patience;
fast from bitterness and feast on forgiveness;
fast from self-concern and feast on compassion;
fast from discouragement and feast on hope;
fast from laziness and feast on commitment;
fast from complaining and feast on acceptance;
fast from lust and feast on respect;
fast from prejudice and feast on understanding;
fast from resentment and feast on reconciliation;
fast from lies and feast on the truth;
fast from wasted time and feast on honest work;
fast from grimness and feast on joy;
fast from suspicion and feast on trust;
fast from idle talk and feast on prayer and silence;
fast from guilt and feast on the mercy of God.

(based on lines attributed to William Arthur Ward)

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