Fr. Jacob's February 2015 Newsletter Message

Fasting

Abstinence makes the heart grow fonder; at least, that's what the joke says.

Of course, Jesus takes for granted that his disciples will fast,

"And whenever you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces so as to show others that they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that your fasting may be seen not by others but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you."

Yet, as an individual or a shared discipline, fasting has largely disappeared from western Christian churches. Heroic feats of self-denial have not been part of my own life, nor to my knowledge, of the life of anyone, in any parish I have ever served. Perhaps there have been those mightily obedient to Christ's teaching ro fast in secret. I surely have prayed so. I've just not seen it.

It is as if the language of fasting has decayed to the point of incomprehensibility. We assimilate our fasts to dieting, or to fund raising, both of which are surely positive things, but fasting as fasting - fasting done as a straight forwardly Spiritual practice, fasting in repentance, fasting before prayer, fasting for God - it feels like it has almost died.

And I want to encourage both you and me to take it much more seriously this Lent. Christ fasts. Christ expects his followers to fast. Scripture tells us that the early Christians fasted. These are serious words, and they surely apply to us.

"Yet even now, says the Lord, return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; rend your hears and not your clothing. Return to the Lord, your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and relents from punishing."

Of course, one has to use one's proper judgement - fasting is never for those who are unwell, or on medication of any sort, or the frail, or the retired, or for the young.

For those who are able - fasting is a whole body response to a Spiritual reality. This is key to making sense of basic fasting. Fasting is a response: an embodied, physical response to a Spiritual reality. So fast in response to one's own brokenness. Fast in response to the glory of the Most Holy Trinity. Fast because the Kingdom has not yet come. Fast in response to the character of the God wo loves you and before whom you gather in worship. Fast in response to grief or fear. Fast in response to the sinfulness of the world and its injustice.

Fasting does not merit or earn God's love, rather fasting itself is part of our normal responses to the work of the Spirit within us, body and soul.

So fasting in Lent is often done intentionally as an element as a response to a deepened awareness of sin. It's a kind of purposeful, embodied grief in the presence of the Lord who loves us. It's precisely because of our confidence in his mercy that we are able to share with him our vulnerable, embodied sorrow.

If you are well enough to fast then avoid the temptation to heroics. Remember Juesus' advice to offer this in secret to the Lord and he will see and reward you. In general, for those who wish to fast - a couple of days a week in Lent is about what you might begin with - and I myself usually try to stick to Wednesdays and Fridays. On those days, begin simply by giving up one meal. Remember - this is not a diet, nor is it a fund raiser (though both of those may be good things); instead it is a purposeful, voluntary, whole body response to a reality that you know is Spiritual.

Then the disciples of John came to him, saying, 'Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not fast?' And Jesus said to them, 'The wedding-guests cannot mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them, can they? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and they will fast.'
Matthew 9: 14 - 15

See how it works - the bridegroom, Christ our lover, has been taken away, and so, we respond with fasting.

Have a holy and renewing Lent,

Much love, Fr. Jacob