Lenten Practices, Fasting

Wednesdays and Fridays are the traditional days of fasting in the Christian faith. Fridays have received attention, both in Lent, and year around, with the well-known and widely practiced discipline of Roman Catholic and other Christians refraining from meat. Eastern Orthodox Christians are known for more stringent fasting during the season of Lent, sometimes encompassing a total fast from meats, various dairy products, and all water (except water imported from Greece or Russia). Yes, that was a joke (apologies to Orthodox readers). 

In Christian circles, East and West, fasting as a spiritual practice has probably waned in overall observance (less people are doing it), but I would suggest there is a resurgence of interest in and the practice of this ancient spiritual discipline (more people doing it intentionally, and not just because they “have” to). Fasting is often touted as having various health benefits. While this may be true, depending on how you fast, our concern here is fasting as spiritual practice. Isn’t fasting just about beating up ourselves by not eating rattlesnake steaks on Fridays? 

No. To be clear, the idea of Christian fasting has often meant partial fasting (full fasts being a matter of personal practice or limited to days like Ash Wednesday and Good Friday), such as abstaining from certain foods (e.g. meat) and eating two smaller meals and one regular meal on a given day. There is also the practice of fasting before receiving Holy Communion, especially on Sundays.  Ok. So, sometimes it’s a partial fast or abstaining from chocolate or coffee (Yes, really!) or whatever for the season of Lent. Why? Self-denial is about realizing what is important in life. 

Fasting reminds us how much we depend upon food, those who prepare it, those who grow it. Fasting reminds us of those who regularly go hungry and to take action. Fasting can be an opportunity to depend upon God more deeply. Fasting is a way of training our wills to choose the better instead of the merely convenient. Fasting can be painful, because it reveals our weaknesses. But such knowledge is essential if we want to grow in character. Also, in the Bible, fasting is often seen as a powerful complement to prayer. (For the record, there is no Friday of the year where I eat steaks made from rattlesnakes).