{"id":6676,"date":"2013-02-13T15:52:43","date_gmt":"2013-02-13T20:52:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ignatiansolidarity.net\/?p=6676"},"modified":"2017-06-28T14:03:04","modified_gmt":"2017-06-28T18:03:04","slug":"lent2013not-your-usual-water-fast","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ignatiansolidarity.net\/blog\/2013\/02\/13\/lent2013not-your-usual-water-fast\/","title":{"rendered":"Lent 2013 – Not Your Usual Water Fast"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Water\"<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

BY ISN STAFF<\/a> |\u00a0<\/strong>February 13, 2013<\/em><\/p>\n

written by:\u00a0Ken Homan, S.J.,\u00a0<\/strong>Fordham University ’14<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat are you giving up for Lent?\u201d We have all heard it plenty. There are many\u00a0regular answers, such as sweets, Facebook, meat and television. Fasting has its roots in the\u00a0earliest forms of Christianity. As Christianity became more integrated into society, martyrdom\u00a0decreased. Christians sought new ways of showing their devotion, which often came in the\u00a0form of fasting and asceticism. In the Middle Ages, fasting became an integral part of Lenten\u00a0preparations for Easter.<\/p>\n

In our modern Western Lent, we frequently give up those things we do not need.\u00a0However, Jesus commends the poor widow for giving her two small coins\u2014\u201cFor they have all\u00a0contributed from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has contributed all she had, her\u00a0whole livelihood\u201d (Mark 12:44). Perhaps this Lent we should look past cookies and television\u00a0to something of our need. Lent also invites us to focus outwardly, to serve Christ and our\u00a0neighbors. It is a time to reflect on the preparations of Christ\u2019s passion.<\/p>\n

Given these facets of Lent, I encourage you to try a Lenten Water Fast. Not the kind\u00a0where you attempt to consume just bread and water during Lent. Cut down your water use.\u00a0Water is a vital and rapidly dwindling resource in our world. Whereas many of us have the\u00a0ability to turn a knob and enjoy potable water, much of the world still suffers from inadequate\u00a0and unsafe access. \u2018”With almost 884 million people living without access to safe drinking-water and approximately three times that number lacking basic sanitation we must act now as\u00a0one global community to ensure water and sanitation for all,” said Ms. Clarissa Brocklehurst,\u00a0UNICEF Chief of the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (World Health Organization 2010).\u2019 As\u00a0noted by Water.org, 3.4 million people die from water-related illness every year. That\u2019s about\u00a0the population of Los Angeles.<\/p>\n

The problem is not just international. Here in the United States, we are rapidly depleting\u00a0our aquifers with unsustainable agricultural and industrial practices. Take hydraulic fracturing\u00a0(fracking) for instance, which uses up to 100,000 gallons of fresh water to drill each new well.\u00a0The USGS notes that the Ogallala Aquifer has decreased by over 100 feet since the introduction\u00a0of modern, water-intensive farming practices. Or look to our dangerous use of bottled water,\u00a0which is less-regulated than tap water and uses 17 million barrels of oil annually (Food and\u00a0Water Watch). And with worldwide desertification, the words of Ash Wednesday \u201cFrom dust\u00a0you are and to dust you shall return\u201d ring ever more true.<\/p>\n

So what exactly would a Lenten Water Fast look like? There are three major\u00a0components\u2014learning, changing our own lifestyle, and activism.<\/p>\n

Education<\/strong>: Take time to learn some of the facts about water in our world. How do\u00a0we use it? How do we waste it? How can we preserve it? What agricultural and industrial\u00a0processes threaten our water? Who has access? How much do we pay for this human right?<\/p>\n

Lifestyle<\/strong>: Look for those things in your life that our water-intensive. Can you shorten\u00a0your showers? Stop watering the lawn? Shave less? Use reusable water bottles? Eat less meat?<\/p>\n

Activism<\/strong>: Encourage change in your community. Ask your college, high school or\u00a0city to ban bottled water and provide access to water fountains. Fight for clean, water-sensitive\u00a0energy. Take a stand against climate change. Participate in clean-up efforts, like Steam Team.\u00a0Educate those around you.<\/p>\n

This Lent, stand in solidarity with those who have less access to water and pay far more\u00a0than we often do. Make changes in your lifestyle and community so future generations may\u00a0enjoy this most essential human right. Serve your communities and the global community.\u00a0Myself? I\u2019ll be taking 5-minute showers and fighting against fracking here in New York.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Check out these resources and webpages to find out more and see what you can do:<\/p>\n

Food and Water Watch<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Water.org<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

UNICEF WASH Program<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

100 Ways to Conserve Water<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

National Geographic Water Conservation<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

The h2o Project<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

BY ISN STAFF |\u00a0February 13, 2013 written by:\u00a0Ken Homan, S.J.,\u00a0Fordham University ’14 \u201cWhat are you giving up for Lent?\u201d We have all heard it plenty. There are many\u00a0regular answers, such […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":6677,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"mc4wp_mailchimp_campaign":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[9,7],"tags":[110,183,321],"yoast_head":"\nLent 2013 - Not Your Usual Water Fast<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Perhaps this Lent we should look past cookies and television to something of our need...I encourage you to try a Lenten Water Fast. Not the kind where you attempt to consume just bread and water during Lent. 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