Mark Wahlberg is not one to hide his faith. In fact, he’s been quite vocal about his beliefs lately.
The actor made an appearance on the Today Show recently. It happened to be Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. During his segment, he chatted with Savannah Guthrie about his choice to not push religion onto others, including his own children.
“I don’t want to jam it down anybody’s throat, but I do not deny my faith. That’s an even bigger sin,” he said.
“You know, it’s not popular in my industry, but I cannot deny my faith.”
The 51-year-old actor wore ashes in the shape of a cross on his forehead while speaking with Guthrie.
Ashes are worn in observance of Ash Wednesday, a day of fasting for Catholics.
Wahlberg explained fasting during Lent. While many people associate it with food, you don’t necessarily have to fast from food.
“There are many different elements to fasting,” he said. “I think the important thing to understand is that, first of all, if you have issues with food, there are other things. God knows what He wants you to detach from. We all know those things that make us feel guilty, those things that don’t make us feel as good as we should.”
“So, it’s about being able to detach from those things and focus on good habits as opposed to bad habits.”
For himself, Wahlberg said he planned on not eating meat and having only one meal on Ash Wednesday, a practice he intends to continue through Good Friday.
He also mentioned the discipline it takes to participate in Lent, and it’s something he believes has helped him throughout his life.
“Once I started getting into movies and transitioned from music, I realized I needed a lot of discipline in my life. That discipline has given me so many other things. I’ve been rewarded for it so much, and I want to share that with people. Whether that’s with fasting, working out more, detaching from other things, or just spending more time with God, in prayer, or in thoughtful reflection.”
Yet, he’s cautious about pushing his beliefs on others. He told Guthrie that while he feels it’s important to share his faith with others, “it’s important to respect and honor them [and their beliefs] as well.”