Fasting and Abstinence During Lent

A lot of people are under the misunderstanding of the true meanings and differences between Fasting and Abstinence. Rather than doing without food (as some people are not medically-capable of doing) Fasting can also take the form of doing something you would otherwise avoid doing. It can be as simple as saying something complimentary to that certain person who annoys you or going out of your way to visit somebody who is lonely and brightening their day at the expense of a little of your time.

This article was ripped from the St. Benedict.org website and is here for your discernment in this season of Lent.

Lent is designated on the Ecclesiastical Calendar as a time of fasting and abstinence. What that means is that each day of Lent is a time when the faithful should practice abstaining from certain types of food, while also reducing the amount eaten.

Fasting and abstinence, as terms, originally meant the same thing. “Fasting” derives from a German word, while “abstinence” comes from Latin, and both originally meant to avoid eating certain foods while also eating less of them. Over the centuries, however, the terms began to assume separate meanings, and today, in the Western tradition, they mean two different things. “Fasting” means to reduce the amount of food eaten, while “abstinence” means to avoid eating certain types of food, such as meat, chicken or their by-products.

In the Western Orthodox tradition, Lent is a time to fast AND abstain. The Church tells us to fast each day of Lent except Sunday, and this means that we attempt to reduce the amount of food consumed at each meal or eliminate certain meals altogether. For example, a day labeled “fast” means that we eat one normal meal [without seconds], and one half meal, while eliminating the third meal altogether. A day designated “strict fast” is one in which no food is taken until after dark; at that time, a small meal may be consumed if it is necessary [Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are “strict fast” days].

Abstinence, on the other hand is only observed on Wednesdays and Fridays, and on these days, we not only reduce the amount of food eaten, but avoid certain types of food. This means that we limit our eating to fruits and salads on these days.

Clearly these are man-made rules governing the notion of fasting, and if they are man made, then they not the same as Divine rules. However, we have discovered some interesting facts over the twenty centuries in which we have practiced fasting and abstinence.

One point is that though the rules may be man made, the reasons for disobeying or ignoring them are usually the product of our sins. For example, we may not fast because we are slothful or lazy, or we put too many other things before this Christ-ordained discipline. We also may refuse to follow the rules of fasting because of the sin of pride, in that we don’t want anyone else telling us what to do or how to do it. Hence, we ought to fast simply to resist sin in us.

Another point that we have discovered is this: when left to our own devices, that is, left to figure out for ourselves how and when we should fast, most of us will end up doing nothing and fasting will be nothing more than a vague term in our spiritual vocabularies. That is why the Church lays out the rules of fasting; it gives us guidelines by which we MAY govern our spiritual lives in the discipline of fasting, and these guidelines are tried and true through 2000 years of spiritual experience. At least if we are following the Church’s discipline, we ARE doing it.

Lastly, fasting and abstinence are just plain good for us. We Americans don’t need to eat nearly as much food as we do, and the disciplines of fasting and abstinence force us to control our eating habits on a daily basis. That learned self-control can be nothing for us but good. The early Christian Fathers tell us that eating is the “door” to all the other passions; if we will learn to control our eating, we soon conquer the other desires as well. Fasting and abstinence provide the means for learning that control.

All Christians should try the disciplines of fasting and abstinence and Lent is a good time to begin. If you haven’t tried it before, attempt to add these two disciplines to your spiritual exercises this year and continue them until Easter. Try to willingly [plan your Lenten meals] reduce the amount of food eaten each day, abstain from meat on Wednesdays and Fridays [and if you fail one day, start again the next], and see if it doesn’t make a difference in the way you control all of your urges, both spiritual and fleshly. Then you will have discovered both the treasures of Lent, and the joys and benefits of fasting.