We have just taken part in the Ramadan and Eid ul Fitr celebrations, as Muslims or as people of other faiths living with or near Muslims. This year, the Christian fast, called Lent by Catholics, coincided with Ramadan, and it will end some days before Easter Sunday on 5 April, with Holy Week, or Quiet Week, beginning from Palm Sunday on 29 March.

The purpose of fasting is religious, spiritual, mental, social, and physical. We often focus on refraining from food, or certain types of food, but the religious, spiritual and other aspects are actually more important. Christians, who do not refrain from eating in the same way, still feel they observe the fast well because they focus on these other aspects. For true believers, the religious and spiritual dimensions are central. Compared to the Muslim way of observing Ramadan and Eid, Christians probably pay less attention to some of the social aspects, notably helping the destitute and people in need. However, for all, the main purpose of fasting is that we should try to become better human beings and care for others. Prayer, spiritual renewal and strengthening of faith are important both for oneself and for our relations with others.

All this, and much more, is important when we consider and appreciate Ramadan and Lent. This year, though, we may mainly have been able to live up to these objectives only as individuals, families and communities. Due to the escalation of wars and conflicts in the world, we have not been able to implement the broader purposes of Ramadan and Lent, particularly in relation to peace. Much of our mental attention has been drawn to conflict and war, especially for those directly affected, and to how these conflicts can be........

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