Sunday, October 25, 2009

B&W, W&O: Chapter 4 - Askesis - Making the Sanctified Effort

Fasting. How we all *love* that word. It brings to mind deprivation. Monks and nuns and 'crazy' religious zealots starving themselves for God.

But, in both the Catholic and the Orthodox churches, fasting is a cyclical requirement of the faith. (In Orthodoxy, however, there appears to be a lot more fasting, and it seems to be much more complicated than it is in the Catholic church, but I've not gone into details, so I'm not clear on how and when and what.)

Archimandrite Webber, in this chapter, attempts to explain (briefly) the purpose behind fasting - it's not because our bodies are 'evil' and need to be smacked into submission, by the way.

The Greek word askesis (which apparently gives us the English word ascetic) means 'exercise'. It typically refers to the practice of prayer, fasting, making prostrations, and in other ways modifying out behavior to bring it in line with the spiritual life. This should *never* be an attempt to please God with our pain, or even just the effort that we're taking. If that's your intent, you're reducing God to an overseer - the projection of human characteristics and motivations onto God is something that should be avoided, as it creates unrealistic ideas of how to relate to God.

Rather, askesis is a matter of exercise, like an athlete preparing for a race. There can be no resentment, in the end, for all the work done in preparation for the race, because it is being done for a good reason. Likewise, we are all 'in training' spiritually, and the rhythm of fasts and feasts (remember that this is in the Orthodox church) allows us to intersperse rigorous periods of training with other times that are more relaxed. Lent and Holy Week are the 'training period par excellence' within the Church. This period of intense fasting is preceded and followed by weeks wherein there is no fasting at all, but the opposite of fasting is *not* self-indulgence, and feasting need never be an occasion of decadence.

'Fasting is like that balance that God puts into creation. Restraint and fasting characterize the lives of those who enjoy life to its fullest. How can someone be really contented who has not known hunger? How can someone really experience the joy of Pascha without having fasted during the weeks of Lent?'

Fasting is a therapeutic tool used to help bring us closer to where we need to be, physically and spiritually. It is not a punishment, it is not a matter of self-control or self-discipline. Those elements turn spiritual fasting into something ugly - as if our grim determination would make us more pleasing to God. It's also not meant to show the world that we can bear pain and hardship. We're not meant to fast so that others can see we're fasting. We're not meant to fast and make everyone miserable with our self suffering for God. That's not the point, and it doesn't please God.

Fasting is meant to help us learn the value of relying on God. The Orthodox apparently fast from midnight before Holy Communion in order to heighten their awareness of the desire to be united with God in Holy Communion. This should be the utmost theme in our lives. Fasting helps remind us that we are creatures in God's world, not above it.

The Orthodox church's setting of specific days and ways of fasting is meant to sort of regulate it - because if people were free to set their own fast days, a certain amount of pride would set in. Someone would always be fasting more than the next person, and feeling 'holier than thou' about it - thereby negating the usefulness of their fast, and possibly harming others if they slip and condemn the other person, judging them because their fast isn't as good or strict or what have you, as theirs. Fasting should be done 'in private' without a bunch of hoopla. No one should make a show of fasting - of going out to a restaurant and grill the waiter about the food, making sure they know you have to be very careful what you eat because you're fasting.

The physical aspect of worship is also briefly covered. As the author says, the body is not an 'optional extra' in the spiritual process. The body is a part of us, and the expectation is that we will be resurrected with the body, in some rarefied form.

'The act of prostration (metanoia, the same word Greek uses for 'repentance') in prayer is an extremely important one, and one we need to rediscover. It reminds us of the importance of the human body in prayer. The body participates as much in our path to God (which is not particularly obvious) as it does in any sin we may commit along the way (which is sometimes very obvious indeed- it is difficult to gossip when you have no tongue).

ETA: I forgot to mention, but Alana kindly reminded me, that the infirm, elderly, infants, ill, pregnant/nursing women are not required to fast. Also, a persons spiritual director (father) may modify their fast for personal reasons, so an individual may not be fasting from everything that others are. Which is yet another good reason not to go around judging others' fasts. You don't know their situation.

8 comments:

  1. Fascinating stuff.

    I didn't know Catholics still fasted. No one in my family ever has. Most they've done is the "no meat on fridays" thing (which use to be all year round). And of course giving up an indulgence for lent.

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  2. Interesting stuff! I'm glad to know the reasons for fasting.

    Parts of this post reminded me of Jesus' "requirements" for when we fast: definitely it is NOT for show.

    Informative post...thank you!

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  3. Yes, everything your wrote is true. Fasting in the Orthodox Church means, for the most part, abstinence from Meat, dairy/eggs, wine and olive oil.

    Shellfish and insects and spineless seafood (lobster, shrimp, crab,)are permitted during the fasts. A long time ago, these foods were considered "the dregs".

    People with health concers talk to their priests to modify their fasting requirements. Pregnant women, young children and the infirm are not to fast, or if they do, then it is in a modified form.

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  4. And I forgot to add: The Eucharistic fast is very very difficult sometimes, but very very spiritually beneficial.

    This is one reason the Orthodox tyically don't take communion every day. We also are to prepare for communion with a Pre-Communion rule of prayer done at home that can take between half an hour and an hour, depending on how many canons are added. Additionally, married couples refrain from ... the night before receiving communion (and if one is being very strict, on all fast days as well).

    Fasting is on Wednesday (for the Betrayal of our Lord) and Friday (Crucifixion), and for longer fasting periods thoughout the year: Dormitian fast- first two weeks of August, Great Lent, the Nativity Fast- Nov. 15 through Dec. 24, and the Apostles Fast which varies in length from a few days to three or four weeks prior to the Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul in the summer time.

    Those who have the strength don't eat at all during the first days of lent, and also during Holy Week, at least from Good Friday through Pascha.

    I am not such a one.

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  5. LK,

    Fasting is still practiced in the church. The 'no meat on Friday's' during Lent thing is what most people think of, but it's more than that.

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  6. Susanne,

    Yep. Well, this is just a brief overview.

    I like that the author emphasised that doing the fast for 'show' negates the fast! You're doing yourself more harm!

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  7. Alana,

    I just repeated what the author wrote, but I'm glad to hear that I didn't mess anything up in my 'rewrite'. :)

    'Shellfish and insects and spineless seafood (lobster, shrimp, crab,)are permitted during the fasts. A long time ago, these foods were considered "the dregs".'

    He did mention that a fast consisting of caviar and lobster while *technically* correct, was not in the spirit of the fast, so it's no good to be legalistic about things.

    'People with health concers talk to their priests to modify their fasting requirements. Pregnant women, young children and the infirm are not to fast, or if they do, then it is in a modified form.'

    Yes! Thank you, I meant to mention that in the post. *goes off to add*.

    'And I forgot to add: The Eucharistic fast is very very difficult sometimes, but very very spiritually beneficial.

    This is one reason the Orthodox tyically don't take communion every day. We also are to prepare for communion with a Pre-Communion rule of prayer done at home that can take between half an hour and an hour, depending on how many canons are added.'

    That's much more preparation than what I've been taught. Interesting.

    'Additionally, married couples refrain from ... the night before receiving communion (and if one is being very strict, on all fast days as well).'

    The author didn't mention that, but I do remember hearing that on one of my OLiC eps about fasting during Lent. Funny story, when I first started attending a Catholic church, during Lent in the bulletin there was a reminder that Friday's were days of abstinence, and I remember being so confused that married couples couldn't have ... on Fridays in Lent! (It makes much more sense now, and that's not what the reminder meant at all anyway...)

    That's a *lot* more fasting than in the Catholic church. As far as I'm aware, we're only asked to fast during Lent (used to be Advent as well, but that's apparently no longer required...). Thanks for the info!

    'Those who have the strength don't eat at all during the first days of lent, and also during Holy Week, at least from Good Friday through Pascha.'

    Wow. I'm....not sure I could do that, though for those who can... I don't know what to say. I'm impressed, but that's probably not the right sentiment.

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  8. I know for a fact that my various illnesses and physical weaknesses which keep my from fasting fully are exactly "what I need for my salvation"-as we Orthodox put it, otherwise I'd be proud, proud, proud.

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