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SOME NOTES ON FASTING

1.The Bible takes fasting for granted as part of religion.

For example, St Luke says that Anna the prophetess did not depart

from the Temple but served God with fastings and prayers night andday (Luke 2:37). It is normal to associate fasting with prayer andperhaps too with almsgiving. Christian fasting is meant to be anadjunct to prayer.

The Apostles also observed fasts. St Paul speaks of his fastings often (2Corinthians 11:26). The Christians in Antioch fast and pray beforelaying hands on Saul and Barnabas (Acts 13:2).

In fasting, the Apostles were carrying on the practices of the Old Testament. Apart from Moses and Elijah, each of whom fasted for forty

days, we read of the Three Young Men and Daniel who ate a diet of vegetables and water for ten days (Daniel 1:12). Ezra says, "So I fastedseven days, mourning and weeping, as Uriel the angel hadcommanded me." (2 Esdras 5:20). Esdras 12:50 refers to a diet only of plants to enable the seer to be pure, in order to see a vision. This is notthe normal motive for Christian fasting, although God may graciouslygive a vision in response to fasting, particularly in a case of desperateneed. Judith fasted all the days of her widowhood except the daybefore the Sabbath and the Sabbath itself (Judith 8:6).

In the time of Jesus, some Pharisees fasted twice a week (Luke 18:12).

This was on Thursdays (when Moses was supposed to ascend themountain a second time to bring the tablets of the Law) and onMondays (when Moses was supposed to descend the mountain again).

The Didache shows that from early times Christians fasted onWednesdays and Fridays. These were the watch days of the Christiansoldier. "The Shepherd of Hermas" speaks also of fasting precedingvisions.

2. Communal fasting in Old Testament Times

Perhaps the most obvious public fast was that of the people of Nineveh

in the book of Jonah. By self-punishment of the people - the outwardsign of their inner repentance - God's punishment is averted.

The Jews also kept public liturgical fasts (Zechariah 9:19) . Theybrought the ark containing the rolls of the law from the synagogue intothe streets and strewed ashes on it. People appeared in sackcloth andashes. Ashes were publicly strewn on the heads of the elders and

judges. It was customary too to preach a homily on the need for inner

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fasting. For example, this could be based on a text from Joel, "Rendyour hearts and not your garments and turn again to the Lord yourGod." To be a proper fast, no food or drink was to be had from onesundown till after the next, say twenty-six hours.

The prophets had already seen the dangers of purely outwardrepentance. Isaiah chapter 58 is instructive on the need for inwardfasting and almsgiving on such occasions. Our Lord picks up the sametheme in Matthew 6:16-18.

As well as fixed public liturgical fasts, Israel fasted occasionally attimes of national calamity. King Ahab fasted in response to words of

judgement from Elijah (1 Kings 21:27-29). The fast of Esther also is of this type.

3. Some misunderstandings about Christian fasting

Avoiding meat is nothing to do with on the idea that meat eating iscontrary to God's will. This does not make sense because of theprominence in our religion of animal sacrifice, "Behold the Lamb of God." We also read the Lord's words, "Rise, Peter; kill and eat." (Acts10:13). Meat is good in its time and place.

We do not fast because we despise the body. For Platonists the body isa prison. For Stoics the aim of life is to achieve the conquest of thepassions. Platonism and Stoicism may have influenced Christianity, butthese are not the main motives for Christian fasting. Christianity

believes in the resurrection of the body, not in the escape from thebody. It is important too that "successful" fasting does not lead topride. For many lay people, regular periods of fasting in excess of 24hours may need to be considered carefully with the spiritual father. Wealso need to be careful of the idea of acquiring merit with God throughfasting.

Prolonged fasting can be characterised by apathy, irritability andemotional instability. So it obviously needs to be accompanied byprayer!

The monks of St Antony's time took only bread, salt and water. Theyusually had nothing until three o'clock in the afternoon or later, unlessit was a Saturday or a Sunday or during the Great Fifty Days.Sometimes they went for over 24 hours without food or drink, but thiswas not a normal expectation even for them.

Having said that, I am sure that God blesses us when we fast sincerely,whatever our level of attainment!

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