Our Faith: Orthodox Christianity

Asceticism II: on fasting

 Review.  Last week we talked about Christ’s prayer and use of Psalmody (Psalms 21-30); remember that we can also imitate His fasting.  We also talked about kenosis (self-emptying) and that doing good is not just a sign of grace, but the way we open ourselves to it.  Lastly, we talked about why we work; what is work’s purpose?

Warm-up I.  We are made to worship God and serve others.  Learning humility, patience, and the other virtues are necessary for us to do that well.  But in kenosis, we do not disappear.  We are not joining the Borg or some Universal Consciousness.  Nor are we becoming possessed, like puppets; that is NOT what St. Paul meant when he said that it was no longer he who lived but Christ who lived in him. 

Warm-up II.  Who is our neighbor?  Whom are we to love as much as him?  Asceticism doesn’t just allow us to love and serve others well, it allows us to love and serve ourselves.  If this is selfish, then we are doing it wrong (although self-care can feel selfish, especially if we are not well balanced). Self-care is NOT just about maintaining the tool so that it can serve (it is that and more).   

Do Not Fast

• If it will harm the physical health of you or another
• Without prayer; without alms-giving; without humility
• With judgment against those whose rigor is different than your own
• According to your own will without guidance from your spiritual father
• Hoping to please God or out of fear of His wrath

Do Fast

• In imitation of Christ; in His love and with His purpose
• According the teachings of the Church, with the guidance of a spiritual father
• In conjunction with prayer, simplicity, almsgiving
• Other suggestions?

What You’ve Been Waiting For: THE RULES FOR FASTING Remember that these are an ideal to strive for.  For many, absolute adherence would be counter-productive. Fasting related to foods has many different degrees.

• The Standard Ascetic Fast (an aside on the role of hunger):
  • No meat (anything with a backbone, so this includes fish)
  • No dairy (or eggs)
  • No olive oil
  • No wine
• The Standard Eucharistic Fast: abstention from partaking of the Holy Body and Blood of Christ
• Complete Fast: totally abstaining from all food and drink

Outside of Lents and Feasts

• We follow the standard ascetic fast on Wednesdays and Fridays
• There is no Eucharistic fast (we can take Communion any and all days of the week)
• Complete fast from midnight until Communion on Sundays and any other days we plan to receive

Additional Fasting Periods (Lents and Fasting Days)

• Great Lent follows the standard ascetic fast (with modifications)
• The Nativity Feast (Advent) two periods (11/15-12/19; 12/20-12/24) that vary in strictness
• The Apostles Fast (from Monday of All Saints until the Feast of the Apostles on 6/29)
• The Dormition Fast (8/1- 14)
• Eve of Theophany (1/5), Beheading of St. John the Baptist (8/29), Elevation of the Holy Cross (9/14)

Special Fast-Free Periods           

• Afterfeast of the Nativity of Christ to Theophany Eve (12/25 – 1/4)
• The first week of the Lenten Triodion (after Publican and Pharisee)
• Bright Week (week after Pascha; this extends to the Ascension for the Antiochians)
• Trinity Week (week after Pentecost)

Questions?                                                                   

Next Week: Asceticism III – the work of silence