Abstinence and Fasting What is Abstinence? Abstinence is the moral virtue that inclines a person to the moderate use of food or drink as dictated by right reason or by faith for his own moral and spiritual welfare. We live in a time of extreme wealth. We all for the most part have access to food twenty-four hours a day seven days a week. In richer nations, like America, food may not be a sacrifice but the practice of self-denial and not becoming to worldly is especially difficult. In the richer nations stress is placed on the witness of self-denial so that Christians will not become worldly; another emphasis is the witness of charity toward others, even those in foreign lands, who are suffering poverty and hunger. We sometimes eat out of boredom, stress, or just have a craving and want to satisfy it. With this great wealth of food, we forget sometimes what true physical hunger feels like. By abstaining from that food and fasting in offering it up for the Church, we grow in virtue. The Church grants a partial indulgence (removal of temporal punishment) to those who abstain and fast. A partial indulgence is granted to the Christian faithful who, in a spirit of penitence, voluntarily abstain from something which is licit (good) for and pleasing to them. What is fasting? Penance is closely linked to Abstinence. It is a form of penance that imposes limits on the kind or quantity of food or drink. As we enter into the first Sunday of Lent, we see Christ fasting for forty days on nothing! God wouldnt ask us to go to that extreme, but he does ask us to do penance especially during Lent. Why should we fast during Lent? From the first century Christians have observed fasting during the days leading up to the mark of Jesus death and resurrection. It is a time to remember our sinful nature, and ask for Gods grace and mercy. By restricting ourselves from eating meat or giving up something that is enjoyable (but not sinful) we remember that the only reason we have anything is because God created it, and allows us to have it. When and where did this practice come from? As mentioned above, the practice of fasting and abstinence has been practiced for thousands of years. It was practiced in Judaism and by the disciples of John the Baptist, and was taught by Christ in word and example, especially can be seen in his example in todays Gospel reading. The apostles practiced it (Acts 13:2, 14:23; 2 Corn. 11:27), and the early Church practiced fasting and abstinence with weekly fast days most notably during Wednesday and Friday in the first century. In hundreds of years since, it has changed and adapted to the Churchs needs and circumstances. GOSPEL - Mark 9:38-40 Jesus said to his disciples: Take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them; otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father. When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets to win the praise of others. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right is doing, so that your almsgiving may be secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you. When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners so that others may see them. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you. When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites. They neglect their appearance, so that they may appear to others to be fasting. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you may not appear to be fasting, except to your Father who is hidden. And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.
Posted on: Wed, 05 Mar 2014 15:09:50 +0000
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