An ancient time for our time

By Paul Farley

Subdeacon

Most people know if the Super Bowl is coming up, even if they don’t care a bit about football. In a similar way, most people know that the 40 days before Easter are traditionally known as Lent, even if they don’t “do” anything about it. They might have an idea that it’s a time for personal “spring cleaning,” and that often people give up some thing or two during that time. But even if you’re not Roman Catholic or (like me) Eastern Orthodox, there’s more to it than you might think, and there’s good reason to give it a try.

But first a little background. In the Old Testament, we see that the Hebrews regularly prayed and fasted before great feasts and as a matter of personal spiritual devotion. Moses fasted for 40 days on Mount Sinai (Exodus 34:28); throughout history the people would join prayer with intense fasting for specific reasons (Ezra 8:21; Nehemiah 9:1-3; Esther 4:16-17).

In the New Testament, Jesus fasted for 40 days as He began His ministry (Matthew 4:2; Luke 4:2). He criticized as “unbelief,” the disciples’ complaint that they were unable to cast out an evil spirit:  “this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.” (Matthew 17:21). He also told them that everyone should be fasting after His resurrection and ascension. (Matthew 9:15-16). The apostles seemed to pray and fast almost all the time (Acts 10:30; 13:2-3; 14:23; 27:33).

His makes sense, because Jesus didn’t say, “if you fast,” He said, when you fast.” (Matthew 6:17-18). So, let’s get down to it — what did the first Christians understand “fasting” to mean?

One of the most difficult things to discipline for any human being is the mouth — both what goes in and what comes out. It’s no surprise that ancient fasting concentrated on that, especially in light of the Scriptural warning: “the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.” (James 3:6).

But the church didn’t just wave its hand and say, “give up chocolate, or ice cream, if you want,” but instead, “we’ve got several centuries of experience with this, and here’s what is best”: don’t eat anything from an animal, double or triple your daily prayer and Scripture reading, increase your charitable support, really look at yourself honestly. In the late 4th century, St John Chrysostom summarized it this way:

“The honor of fasting consists not in abstinence from food, but in withdrawing from sinful practices; since he who limits his fasting only to an abstinence from meats, is one who especially disparages it.

“Dost thou fast?  Give me proof of it by thy works!

“If thou seest a poor man, take pity on him!

“If thou seest an enemy, be reconciled to him!

“If thou seest a friend gaining honor, envy him not!

“If thou seest a handsome woman, pass her by!

“For let not the mouth only fast, but also the eye, and ear, and the feet, and the hands, and all the members of our bodies.

“Let the hands fast, by being pure from rapine and avarice.

“Let the feet fast, but ceasing from running to the unlawful spectacles.

“Let the eyes fast, being taught never to fix themselves rudely upon handsome countenances, or to busy themselves with strange beauties.

“Let the ear fast also. The fasting of the ear consists in refusing to receive evil speakings and calumnies.”

Looking at this list, am I the only one who sees a 1700-year-old warning about the internet?  Real fasting isn’t so much about giving up food, but is about giving up sin.  Orthodox, Catholic, Protestant, some other faith — or of no faith at all — we could all benefit from doing that, even if only for 40 days.