Lent is coming!

[ByzantineDixie]

I do sort of a strange Lent thing every year, I give up something each week and by the end of it, well look at my Lent schedule for this year:

Week 1 - Caffiene
Week 2 - Nicotine
Week 3 - Processed Sugar
Week 4 - Fast Food/Junk Food (Chips, to-go salads, etc)
Week 5 - Meat
Week 6 - Fasting

That about sums up my yearly Lent. This will be the first year I have been dedicated enough to include giving up smoking, with God's grace I will not pick it up again afterwards. I can't give up the computer as I telecommute and my job just wouldn't understand why I couldn't work for a large chunk of Lent

What a cool plan!

I had been struggling with what to give up but your post inspired me. I quit smoking about 8 years ago but within the last year I started smoking a couple of cigarettes a day...mostly just during work days. I am going to give this up and, with God's grace, not return to it. Yippee...I have a GREAT plan now. Thanks for the inspiration Flesh99!!!

Rose

 

[Oblio]

God bless you!! I could not do that my wife loves to cook so I love to eat, Great Match God made here

Actually, the Nativity Fast (even though it is only 40 days long and a bit less strict) is harder because of the parties that the secular world bombards us with.

 

[Miss Shelby]

Actually, the Nativity Fast (even though it is only 40 days long and a bit less strict) is harder because of the parties that the secular world bombards us with.

Do you mean like on St. Patrick's Day?

Michelle

 

[Oblio]

Do you mean like on St. Patrick's Day?

Michelle

Oh yes, like that.

How about thanksgiving

 

[Reformationist]

Lent is more than just fasting.

FTR - it is 40 days + Holy Week (at least in the Orthodox Church)

All told, we fast over half the year :o

Not that I don't admire your zeal, I certainly do, but I'm curious why you do this. What is your motivation? Do you believe that by practicing denying your flesh that you'll be better equipped to be holy?

Thanks,
God bless

 

[Miss Shelby]

Oh yes, like that.

How about thanksgiving

I was saying this in jest. St. Patrick's Day parties do through a wrench into my lenten committment because I can't start drinking beer at the crack of dawn.

Michelle

 

[ByzantineDixie]

Why is that only a 40 day a year thing? Isn't that what we should be striving to do every day of the year?

Thanks,
God bless

I honestly do not know what to make of your comment. Are you picking on those of us who practice Lent? I wouldn't think you would do that, but that is how it reads. Unfortunately, without body language and tone inflections to clarify, wrong messages can be received. Please expand on your intent.

Lotar's post explains what Lent is and why we celebrate it the way we do. Abiding in a liturgical calendar is one of the ways some of us worship with different focal points in that calendar throughout the year. Lent is a penitential time for us.

Even Jesus responded to John's disciples regarding the failure of Jesus disciples to fast by telling them there will be a time for fasting later. Sometimes we reflect on our failures and we fast and sometimes we rejoice and do not fast.

Peace always,

Rose

 

[Oblio]

Not that I don't admire your zeal, I certainly do, but I'm curious why you do this. What is your motivation? Do you believe that by practicing denying your flesh that you'll be better equipped to be holy?

Thanks,
God bless

Fasting is an ascetic spiritual disipline. We fast in order to strengthen our spiritual muscles. If we can learn through fasting to control our passions of food, we can apply this to the other passions as well.

St. John Chrysostom on Fasting

Do you fast? Give me proof of it by your works.
If you see a poor man, take pity on him.
If you see a friend being honored, do not envy him.
Do not let only your mouth fast, but also the eye and the ear and the feet and the hands and all the members of our bodies.
Let the hands fast, by being free of avarice.
Let the feet fast, by ceasing to run after sin.
Let the eyes fast, by disciplining them not to glare at that which is sinful.
Let the ear fast, by not listening to evil talk and gossip.
Let the mouth fast from foul words and unjust criticism.
For what good is it if we abstain from birds and fishes, but bite and devour our brothers?
May HE who came to the world to save sinners strengthen us to complete the fast with humility, have mercy on us and save us

 

[Oblio]

I was saying this in jest. St. Patrick's Day parties do through a wrench into my lenten committment because I can't start drinking beer at the crack of dawn.

Michelle

If they are on a feast day you can

 

[Filia Mariae]

I'm giving up soda and Starbucks (I have serious caffeine addiction problems ), and twenty minutes of sleep in the morning to have some extra prayer time. I want to try to go to daily Mass on Friday, but I need to find one early enough that I can still get to work on time.

 

[Lotar]

Why is that only a 40 day a year thing? Isn't that what we should be striving to do every day of the year?

Thanks,
God bless

The point is to give up something important to you. Should we be striving to keep from eating chocolate at all times? I think some people would starve to death they tried to fast for an entire year

We are told of the importance of fasting. That's what this is, picking something that is very important to you and giving it up for 40 days.

That's not to say you can't do it at other times as well, but traditionally it is done in preparation for Easter.


It's not like it is something that is a required doctrine, it is just a good tradition.

 

[BarbB]

I would like to try a 40-day sugar fast. Secondary to spiritual benefit would be a physical benefit of fewer pounds (maybe). My niece tried it and suffered mightily but loved the spiritual benefit she received! Bye bye Hershey kisses and sugar cookies and cake and Frosted Flakes!

 

[Reformationist]

The point is to give up something important to you. Should we be striving to keep from eating chocolate at all times? I think some people would starve to death they tried to fast for an entire year

We are told of the importance of fasting. That's what this is, picking something that is very important to you and giving it up for 40 days.

That's not to say you can't do it at other times as well, but traditionally it is done in preparation for Easter.


It's not like it is something that is a required doctrine, it is just a good tradition.

I think it sounds like a wonderful tradition. Thanks for explaining it.

God bless

 

[Oblio]

Can someone explain it to me and also explain the Scriptural reasoning for doing it?

It's not like it is something that is a required doctrine, it is just a good tradition.

And our Lord said (right after He teaches his disciples to pray):

Matthew 6:16-18 RSVA "And when you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. (17) But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, (18) that your fasting may not be seen by men but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.


When, not if

 

[Lotar]

When I said that it was not a required doctrine, I was speaking of the celebration of Lent, not fasting.

 

[AngelAmidala]

I'll be giving up any hope of having free time to do fun stuff like going to the movies, reading books for fun, stuff like that.

I'll be taking an advanced lay speaking course to re-certify myself. That's every Sunday during Lent. The last class is on Palm Sunday.

Add that to the Bible study I'm doing, plus 2 classes, and I won't have time for anything.

And I'm going to try to limit myself to 20 oz. of soda a day. Providing I don't give myself a massive migraine like the last time I cut soda out of my life completely.

 

[Oblio]

When I said that it was not a required doctrine, I was speaking of the celebration of Lent, not fasting.

My mistake, the same could probably said for Ref's question too. :o

 

[Lotar]

That's okay, I'm not always too clear in my posts

I think I unconsciously like being cryptic

 

[Oblio]

Many Evangelicals ask, Why do you fast ? and since most are the If it ain't in the Book (tm), it ain't true camp I usually am quick to quote that Scripture. So I was preloaded and shot too quick when those nearby synapses were tickled.

 

[Oblio]

It is refreshing to have a topic that many of us PRE/RC/EO have in common. Along those lines, here is a link to Fasting and Fast Free Seasons of The Church to compare and contrast with Lenten practices outside the Orthodox Church.