4.7. Prayer and Fasting for a Blessing and a Safe Journey

“Then I proclaimed a fast, there by the river of Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God to petition from him a safe journey for ourselves, our children, and all our possessions.

For I would have been ashamed to ask the king for troops and horsemen to protect us against our enemies along the way, since we had said to the king, ‘The favoring hand of our God I upon all who seek him, but his mighty wrath is against all who forsake him.’ So we fasted, and prayed to our God for this, and our petition was granted.” (Ezr 8, 21-23)

4.8. Fasting after Destruction of War

“…and they answered me: ‘The survivors of the captivity there in the province are in great distress and under reproach. Also, the wall of Jerusalem lies breached, and its gates have been gutted with fire.’ When I heard this report, I began to weep and continued mourning for several days; I fasted and prayed before the God of heaven.” (Neh 1, 3-4)

4.9. Fasting after Returning to the True God

“On the twenty-fourth day of this month, the Israelites gathered together fasting and in sackcloth, their heads covered with dust. Those of Israelite descent separated themselves from all who were of foreign extraction, then stood forward and confessed their sins and the guilty deeds of their fathers.” (Neh 9, 1-2)

4.10. Fasting, Prayer, Almsgiving and Righteousness

“Prayer and fasting are good, but better than either almsgiving accompanied by righteousness. A little with righteousness is better than abundance with wickedness. It is better to give alms than to store up gold.” (Tob 12, 8)

4.11. Life – long Fasting out of Sorrow

“…where she set up a tent for herself on the roof of her house. She put sackcloth about her loins and wore widow’s weeds. She fasted all the days of her widowhood, except Sabbath eves and Sabbaths, new moon eves and new moons, feast days and holidays of the house of Israel.” (Jdt 8, 5-6)

“There was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived seven years with her husband after her marriage and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple, but worshipped night and day with fasting and prayer. And coming forward at that very time, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem.” (Lk 2, 36-38)