By Fr Trevor D’Souza, OFM –
The clarion call of John the Baptist, to “Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight” Mt 3:3 comes across loud and clear. He uses strong language and calls us to repentance (Mt 3:2). His words, if taken seriously, will cut us to the heart (Acts 2:37). His call to repentance must make us ask: what must I do? (Acts 2:37) in order to prepare the way for the Lord’s coming. This becomes a moment of introspection.
These days some speak about “spiritual fasting”, explained as, fasting from pride, anger, hatred, jealousy, etc. How does someone practice this kind of fasting ?
Isaiah 58:3-7 gives us another dimension of fasting, namely not fasting for the sake of fasting, but to bring about a change of behaviour.
All through the Bible and even in other world religions, fasting means deprivation of food, drink, comforts; abstention from all or some kinds of food or drink, especially as a religious observance for a specific time. It is one of the spiritual exercises that accompany a life of penance and conversion. It is undertaken in order to humble oneself before God, and as a prayer to obtain some grace or blessing in one’s life.
Here are some reference to understand that fasting in the Bible always refers to physical fasting: Ezra 9:5; Neh 1:14; 9:1; Esther 4:3; Ps 35:13; 69:10; 109:24; Dan 9:3; Joel 2:12; Mk 2:18; Lk 2:37; Acts 13:2-3; 14:23; Tob 12:8; Judith 4:9; 2Mac 13:12. In most of the above cases, fasting is accompanied by prayer, sitting in sack cloth and ashes, weeping, mourning, etc.
What kind of fasting did Jesus do, spiritual or physical? In Mt 4:2, we are told that Jesus fasted for 40 days and forty nights and after that he was “hungry”. His teachings on fasting were also based on physical fasting, linked to a conversion that should take place in the life of the person (Mt 6 6:16-17, etc).
In order for one to become attentive to God’s Word and to his invitation to repentance, undertaking an advent fast is most appropriate. Within the Catholic Church such a fast is highly recommended and undertaken both in the Eastern and Western Church. The Catechism (CCC 1434) states: “The interior penance of the Christian can be expressed in many and various ways. Scripture and the Fathers insist above all on three forms, fasting, prayer, and charity, which express conversion in relation to oneself, to God, and to others.” Both as reverence to Jesus and as a form of preparation, fasting is highly recommended during the season of advent.
Each one must decide for oneself (2Cor 9:7), based on age, health, travel, etc., the kind of fasting to be undertaken.
Link this fasting with a spirit of prayer and devotion.
Keep a goal to be achieved through this fasting, such as change of some behaviour or attitude, or to seek some grace, such as grace to forgive, or just fast as a gesture of love and to honour Jesus Christ.
A feast makes sense after a fast. A feast does not make sense after a feast.
Let the advent fast prepare oneself for the spiritual feast and material feasting that is to follow!
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