The Concept of Christian Fasting in the Light of the Bible and Church Teaching
By Fr. Kamil AlChouefati
Fasting is a social phenomenon that has existed since ancient times, including many years before Christianity. For some, fasting took a ritual form of worship and religion, imposed by society on their behavior. For example, we find it among pagan nations on various occasions, such as for preparing to meet a God in the temple, or to calm his anger, or upon the death of a close person. We also find it among the Jews on special occasions to express calamity and mourning, before performing a major work or task, to seek healing, or to prevent a disaster. The pious Jews used to fast two days a week (Monday and Thursday) as a sign of religiosity and worship, and this is what we find in the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector.
Fasting in Christianity is abstaining from food, drink, or another practice for two purposes: the first is to build the self and personality, and the second is the relationship with God and with others through prayer and charity. Fasting is not only a matter of food and drink, but rather it is to refine a person spiritually and physically, as he submits his body to it in order to control it and not the other way. Fasting also helps us overcome the temptations of Satan, as Jesus did during his fast, and this is clear from his words to the disciples: when they wanted to expel demons, Jesus said to them: "this kind does not come out except by fasting and prayer."
At the beginning of the forty-day season of Lent, believers ask the priests many questions: what is the meaning of fasting? Why do we fast? At what time do we fast? From what do we fast and how do we fast? Fasting is a divine law, as it is, as the first commandment in the holy Bible: "as for the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shall not eat of it, for in the day that you eat of it you will surely die"(Genesis 2:17). Our Lord Jesus Christ confirmed the commandment of fasting by saying, "the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast" (Mt. 9:14). Fasting is a form of repentance that expresses conversion in one's relationship with oneself, God and others. “But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you may not appear to others to be fasting, except to your Father who is hidden. And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you. " (Mt. 6:16-18).
Types of Christian Fasting: 1- Mouth Fasting: is abstinence from food and drink for a specific period of the day, 2- Fasting of the Senses: that is, restraining the tongue, eyes, ears, hands, and nose from sin. 3- Fasting of Thought: it is the purification of the mind and the sanctification of feelings and thoughts, including thinking about others. 4- Fasting of the Heart: that is, purifying the heart from everything evil and conquering impure desires.
In this forty-day season, the Lord calls us to the wilderness in order to speak to our hearts, so that we may be close to Him and that He may be with us. He invites us to an appropriate time and place to meet with Him, and there I will know who I am and how much God loves me. From there, I will return to myself and feel how weak I am, but I am strong because of Christ who strengthens me. Then the forty-day period will imprint on me the character of "repentance,” which means having a broken heart and contrite spirit and letting the good Spirit guide me as He walked Jesus in the wilderness.
Lent is the appropriate time. Let us be open to God’s strong call to repentance, as the Christian is called to return to God with all his heart; to discover more that Jesus is the friend who never abandons us; to read, listen to, and meditate on the word of God, and to live the mysteries through the sacred means offered to us by the Church. This is all the beginning of a new path that leads to an inevitable end: Easter, and our victory is like Christ's victory over death.
The last question is: will you eventually reach Easter? The answer is yes, if you resist all kinds of temptations as Jesus resisted them, if you become accustomed to renunciation and asceticism in your life so that you remain somewhat in the wilderness, present before God, and finally if you complete your prayers with love for all your brothers.
Grant us, O Lord, that this Lenten journey prepares us to celebrate the mysteries of your glorious death and resurrection. Grant us, O Lord, that all our thoughts, words, and actions be in accordance with your will. Let our fasting be real, our prayers heartfelt and our help free.
Fasting in Christianity is abstaining from food, drink, or another practice for two purposes: the first is to build the self and personality, and the second is the relationship with God and with others through prayer and charity. Fasting is not only a matter of food and drink, but rather it is to refine a person spiritually and physically, as he submits his body to it in order to control it and not the other way. Fasting also helps us overcome the temptations of Satan, as Jesus did during his fast, and this is clear from his words to the disciples: when they wanted to expel demons, Jesus said to them: "this kind does not come out except by fasting and prayer."
At the beginning of the forty-day season of Lent, believers ask the priests many questions: what is the meaning of fasting? Why do we fast? At what time do we fast? From what do we fast and how do we fast? Fasting is a divine law, as it is, as the first commandment in the holy Bible: "as for the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shall not eat of it, for in the day that you eat of it you will surely die"(Genesis 2:17). Our Lord Jesus Christ confirmed the commandment of fasting by saying, "the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast" (Mt. 9:14). Fasting is a form of repentance that expresses conversion in one's relationship with oneself, God and others. “But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you may not appear to others to be fasting, except to your Father who is hidden. And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you. " (Mt. 6:16-18).
Types of Christian Fasting: 1- Mouth Fasting: is abstinence from food and drink for a specific period of the day, 2- Fasting of the Senses: that is, restraining the tongue, eyes, ears, hands, and nose from sin. 3- Fasting of Thought: it is the purification of the mind and the sanctification of feelings and thoughts, including thinking about others. 4- Fasting of the Heart: that is, purifying the heart from everything evil and conquering impure desires.
In this forty-day season, the Lord calls us to the wilderness in order to speak to our hearts, so that we may be close to Him and that He may be with us. He invites us to an appropriate time and place to meet with Him, and there I will know who I am and how much God loves me. From there, I will return to myself and feel how weak I am, but I am strong because of Christ who strengthens me. Then the forty-day period will imprint on me the character of "repentance,” which means having a broken heart and contrite spirit and letting the good Spirit guide me as He walked Jesus in the wilderness.
Lent is the appropriate time. Let us be open to God’s strong call to repentance, as the Christian is called to return to God with all his heart; to discover more that Jesus is the friend who never abandons us; to read, listen to, and meditate on the word of God, and to live the mysteries through the sacred means offered to us by the Church. This is all the beginning of a new path that leads to an inevitable end: Easter, and our victory is like Christ's victory over death.
The last question is: will you eventually reach Easter? The answer is yes, if you resist all kinds of temptations as Jesus resisted them, if you become accustomed to renunciation and asceticism in your life so that you remain somewhat in the wilderness, present before God, and finally if you complete your prayers with love for all your brothers.
Grant us, O Lord, that this Lenten journey prepares us to celebrate the mysteries of your glorious death and resurrection. Grant us, O Lord, that all our thoughts, words, and actions be in accordance with your will. Let our fasting be real, our prayers heartfelt and our help free.
