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Dear Baba: Fasting, Pt. II |
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Written by Brantley Hobbs
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Sunday, 09 March 2008 |
Dear Baba; We talked about this last fall when Great Lent was so far in the future. I thought I understood, but Great Lent is beginning and I’m still confused with what I’m supposed to give up for Lent. I told you last fall how I tried giving up chocolate and my other favorite foods but it was awkward. The fasting ‘rules’ don’t seem to relate to me and I don’t feel like I’m really making a sacrifice. Also how do I help my children realize it is Lent since they can’t fast? - Still the Frustrated Faster
My dear Frustrated Faster; You know, every year I learn more and more and continue to grow. Please don’t be embarrassed about asking to review something. It never hurts to revisit a subject – especially one like this. Let’s start with a vocabulary adjustment. We do not ‘give up’ stuff for Lent as is a common understanding in the West. That gives the sense that if we suffer enough we’ll somehow earn points or at the very least punish ourselves for our sinfulness. The roots run deep into very basic understandings of who we are and our relationship with God.
Any Lenten time is a time of preparation, a time of stillness where we work to eliminate much of the noise that saturates our lives. It is a time to not be consumed with consuming and place our attentions on the one thing needful. There is a huge difference between that and self inflicted suffering. One priest once told me to think of a Lenten period as a 3 legged stool we sit on during our journey. It is upheld by three things – prayer, fasting and almsgiving. Knock any of those legs out and the chair will topple. Fasting without prayer and almsgiving is a diet. Here is what we talked about last fall:
- To fast is to discipline the body. Frederica Mathewes-Green has a wonderful article called “To Hell on a Cream Puff” that addresses why disciplining the stomach is such a challenge. But if we can discipline our stomach, to say no to its demands, then just maybe we’ll be disciplined enough to resist other temptations that come our way.
- The fast may very well then be likened to training for a marathon. Keep that analogy in mind. There is but one set of fasting rules for the Orthodox people – monastics and lay people alike. It was established more than a millennium ago. In the same way there is one established distance for a marathon – 26 miles 385 yards (anything else is not a marathon). Rare is the person who can go from couch potato to running a marathon without training. In the case of the fast, it is a lifetime of discipline and training – approached with seriousness of purpose. I am not able to run a marathon this afternoon so it is no surprise that I am not able to fast like an ascetic from the start either.
- The fast is not a magical formula for salvation. It is a discipline that has to be coupled with prayer and almsgiving. I know of one young man who became so unbearably proud of his ‘perfect’ fasting that the priest told him to go to McDonalds. He became completely consumed with how much better he was than his fellow parishioners at this fasting thing and he was going for a record. He lost sight of its purpose. That was quickly taken care of with a stop at a drive-thru window.
- You have to work with your spiritual father to establish how much you can fast. There are special circumstances for pregnant moms, nursing moms, the young and the elderly, those with medical conditions etc.. You need to stretch yourself but not break yourself. Please do not decide that on your own. Talk with your spiritual father. If you were running a marathon, you’d probably have a trainer. It makes even less sense to attempt this on your own.
- We are the body of Christ. We are a community. We feast together and we fast together. That is a critical aspect of the fasting ‘rules.’ Look at our liturgical schedule during a Lenten period. Purposely in the wisdom of the church, we gather together more frequently during a Lenten period. We strengthen ourselves with more frequent communion. We are called to pray together and to encourage each other. And as is typical of any Orthodox gathering, to break bread together. If we are encouraging each other, we would never purposely tempt someone with foods they have ‘given up’ for Lent would we? How on earth could we handle it then? We’d become consumed trying to thread the needle to not bring a morsel of food someone has ‘given up’ lest we tempt them. We know by this common fasting rule what we can bring to share with our fellow travelers on the Lenten journey.
- It is also important to keep in mind the intent. From the beginning the fast has been Xerophagy – dry eating. Oils were avoided, foods were more simply prepared. Shellfish was allowed because it was the junk fish and not the luxury it is considered now. Fasting means both what we eat and how much. I look at my plate sagging under the weight of all the delicious Lenten foods and realize I have a long way to go.
- The intent was to eat simply with very quickly prepared meals. We have to be careful of the pitfall of Pharisaical fasting - meeting the letter of the law but missing the intent. Lobster with drawn margarine is technically Lenten. I’ve seen “Lenten Desserts” with not a single natural ingredient that look and taste decadently rich and ‘non-Lenten.’ With so many soy and artificial products out there now, it is possible to recreate non-Lenten eating and stay within the letter of the law. That is not to say these are bad or shouldn’t be used. Just be mindful of your heart’s intent. Are you trying to trick your body into thinking you aren’t fasting? That becomes the domain of fad diets, not spiritual growth. I know you’ll be mindful.
- Do not judge another. Encourage each other but do not judge. Many a spiritual father and baba have reminded us all to be just as mindful about what comes out of our mouth as what we put in it.
- Children are growing and should not fast with full rigor. That doesn’t mean they won’t realize it is a Lenten period or a fasting day. They can participate in their own ‘mini marathon’. Children need calcium for their growing bodies, but they do not necessarily need to be getting their daily dose from ice cream during a Lenten period. With the goal to simplify our lives and be more quiet and prayerful, there is much that can be done in our way of life.
- I know parents who turn off TVs, shut off video games, and all minimized time in front of the TV. An effort was made to spend more family time together. The house was much quieter during Lent. I have spoken with many children who look forward to Lenten times just because their lives aren’t so busy and they have much more family time and fellowship at church that they crave.
- Fasting is hard. Expect opposition to your efforts. Don’t try and do it alone and on your terms. Remember when lions attack a herd, they will single out individuals – they don’t attempt to take on the whole herd at once because they know they can’t succeed.
We journey together. Lean on all of us, we’ll lean on you. We’ll seek the guidance of our spiritual father. We’ll pray together, we’ll feast together and at the appointed times such as now - we will fast together. My dear friend, we are the Body of Christ.
I know your cup of tea is growing cold but let me make one more request as a fresh pot brews. Make a point to attend as many services as possible. Great Lent is not just about fasting from food. Start with Forgiveness Vespers and the Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete. Be there for the Presanctified Liturgies as much as you can. I promise you that making the time and attending will be far more than just another item on a to-do list. You are a child of God – commune with Him. Allow Him to fill you with His peace and grace during this Holy Season.
As we begin this Great and Holy Lent, please forgive me for all I have done and all I have neglected to do. Forgive me my brothers and sisters.
With enveloping hugs;
Baba
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Last Updated ( Sunday, 09 March 2008 )
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Living Faith