“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the Church and gave Himself for her.”
Requirements…
Except for medical reasons, the minimum requirements to be an e5 Man are that you:
Be a baptized Christian man.
Register with e5 Men.
Fast on plain bread and water at least one 24 hour period a month for your bride, for her needs of spiritual growth and/or healing; preferably on the 1st Wednesday of the month.
Photo by Randy Tarampi on Unsplash
Men Fasting For Their Wives
The e5 Man fasts for his bride as a way to imitate Jesus as described by Saint Paul in his letter to the Ephesians, chapter 5 (for which the e5 is named). e5 Men fast in unison on bread and water for at least one 24 hour day per month - preferably the 1st Wednesday of the month.
"Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her." - Ephesians 5:25 "So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church." - Ephesians 5:28-29
Jesus made a bodily sacrifice on the cross for his bride the church to present her to God the Father "without spot or wrinkle." (Eph 5:27) By fasting for our earthly bride and joining our sufferings to Christ's we intercede for grace for our brides. At the same time our act of bodily love in union with Christ accelerates our own conversion.
By making this sacrifice for the women in our lives we live out the essence of the gospel through a very particular act of self denial. To lay down one's body out of love for another is the central message of the gospel.
Photo by Joshua Earle on Unsplash
Not Only For Married Men
Membership is not limited to married men. For single men, their fast may be dedicated to their future bride (known or unknown). For widowers or those unlikely to get married, the beneficiary of their fasts may be for a daughter, a sister, or a granddaughter, and for those whos faith believes - their deceased wife, or any other women in great need. For the consecrated celibate man the benefit of their fast can be for the benefit of the community they serve or for consecrated celibate women, or for the Church at large.
The intentions of the e5 also include:
All the other e5 Men's brides or e5 Men's intentions.
For all the e5 Women registered with us.
For all women sinned against by men.
For the petitions sent to us by women.
For all the e5 Women's personal intentions.
And in general for all women.
Many e5 Men choose to fast more than once a month and often choose other beneficiaries for those days such as sisters, mothers, or friends.