Understanding the Lenten Fast
By michelle | February 15, 2010
Recently, I’ve heard/read lots of people discussing fasting for Lent. The good, the bad and the ugly!
I have a friend from college, who is an Evangelical Christian, and he has been considering fasting from something for Lent, so he posted about it Facebook. The first person to comment said the following, “I think you should fast from lint for lent because it is just a stupid Catholic tradition.“ Ouch!
Here are parts of a pastoral note regarding Lent from our local parish:
For some people, the word “Lent” occasionally conjures up images of deprivation, guilt, and sadness. But if I may boldly borrow from St. Paul: “Brethren, this ought not to be so!” Too often in our times, Lent has been cast as merely a time of fasting and prayer. Indeed, Lent is impossible without these things, but Lent must never be reduced to these things. The real challenge for us today is to enter wholly into the spirit of Lent.
To enter into the spirit of Lent is to follow the Lord in saying, “Not my will, but Thine be done.” To this end, the Church invites us to:
Embrace fasting.
Embrace a tougher prayer life.
Embrace the rigor of offering our bodies physically in worship.
Embrace others through almsgiving & service.
Embrace the denial of television and other entertainments to focus on the “one thing needful.”
Embrace the call to seek first the Kingdom of God.
Embrace the joy of repentance each day and in Confession.
Fasting is a gift God gives us for our salvation—to train and teach us.
This year, for Orthodox Christians, the Lenten season begins today. Those who are healthy and able do not eat dairy and meat until Easter, the Feast of Feasts. In our family, we have somewhat of a different fast in that I am nursing a baby and should not fast from all these things all the time, and we have small children, who only eat Lenten meals all dinner time. These are the reasons that I am striving to have a lifestyle change during Lent, because without that, Lent would just feel like any other time of the year. But it is not any other time of the year, it is time for us to prepare for Christ’s death and resurrection!
To better understand why Orthodox Christians fast the way that we do, please go here.
5 Comments
DebD on February 15, 2010 at 6:07 am.
Thanks for sharing the pastoral notes..they are very helpful.
I hope you have a very blessed Lenten season.
Elizabeth on February 15, 2010 at 9:53 am.
appreciated this. thanks. May God give us a good lent!
Jenni on February 15, 2010 at 11:10 am.
I actually look forward to Lent and Pascha every year. There is something about fasting that makes me feel like I’m “starting again”. It’s so simple and so pure. Call me wierd, but I actually love this season!
Deven on February 15, 2010 at 11:24 am.
Thanks so much for writing about this. Although my church does not particularly talk much about the Lenten tradition, I am very interested in learning more about it. Aside from the dietary changes for your kids, is there something else they do during this season?
Annie Luidhardt on February 25, 2010 at 9:31 am.
I love Lent!! I think it is a beautiful tradition!