As we now approach the beginning of Lent, it is good to recall that Lent has been, historically, throughout the Church’s history, a time that involves fasting.
A very thoughtful post on Christian fasting as we approach Lent and a timely reminder for me personally:-
Did you know that our Lord Jesus Christ assumed that His disciples would fast, just as He assumed they would pray? Jesus commended fasting as a private act of humility and devotion to God (see Matthew 6:16-18). Note particularly that he says, “When you fast…” not “If you fast…” Take a look at Matthew 9:14-15. The first Christians fasted (Acts 13:2-3; 14:23). Why shouldn’t a twenty-first century Christian do likewise? Why?
Because we are, as a culture and society, gluttons. After all, we are a “consumer” society. We consume, consume and consume some more. We eat to the point that our bellies are too large, we weigh too much, and we inflict chronic illness on ourselves brought on by poor diet and exercise habits. I’m as guilty as anyone in this regard. We do not fast to earn brownie points with God, but that fact has become our excuse for not fasting, for not attending to self-disipline and self-mortification. We excuse our laziness and gluttony by appealing to our freedom in Christ as forgiven children. We let ourselves off the hook all the while comforting ourselves that we are free not to get caught up in “legalistic” requirements such as fasting. We look at the required fasts in Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy and rightly criticize the imposition of such rules as contrary to the Gospel freedom we have, but then we again use this an excuse not to fast. We’ll show those legalists, as we continue stuffing our faces and filling our bellies with the food that perishes.
As we now approach the beginning of Lent, it is good to recall that Lent has been, historically, throughout the Church’s history, a time that involves fasting. The German name for Lent used historically in Luthernaism is Fastenzeit, “Fast time.” The spiritual discipline of fasting was always part of historic Lutheranism, but as in so many other areas of our church life, the desire to “fit in” with the rest of American Protestantism, led this practice to fall into disuse among us. Luther assumes that fasting will be part of Lutherans’ practice when they prepare to receive the Supper, for in the Catechism he writes, “Fasting is indeed fine outward bodily preparation…” What he goes on to say about the proper preparation being faith and trust in Christ was never intended to be an excuse not to fast. In The Lutheran Study Bible there is a great article on fasting and I thought you might find it useful as you consider how you will be observing Lent.
Tags: Christian Life
February 11th, 2010 at 9:46 pm
As Lent comes, I hope to deny myself any food that has caused unecessary suffering to animals over which we are called to exhibit a caring dominion. Yes, a reflection of that kind of caring dominion which Christ exhibits over us.
It is with much shame and sorrow that I learn of the EU going against its former promise – almost 7 years ago! – to faze out the battery system of egg production. It would appear as if the EU have pandered to greedy farmers who now imply that they just haven’t had time to convert to free range facilities for their poultry. What a lame and callous excuse!
The cruelty involved in so much intensive factory farming is an utter disgrace to our past Christian heritage. Because Christians refused to speak out against the introduction of intensive factory farming practices when they were first being introduced, we have all been programmed in to accepting it as the norm.
We sing about Christ’s love for us in terms of a past biblical shepherd prepared to seek out and restore a wayward sheep; but we fail to realise it’s implication in how we should care for such an animal. Similarly, we refer to having to be fed on milk rather than on strong meat, but again fail to also notice any deeper implication than that of its relevance as an analogy to Christians who have not spiritually matured,
As for the way that milk is produced via cows being turned in to little more than veritable milk machines; we find it convenient not toi dwell on the same. As dear Billy Graham said in quite a different context: ‘How brown cows eat green grass and then produce white milk, is beyond me. I simply say hallelujah for the milk and drink it!’
Well God forbid that I should ever criticize Billy Graham; but so many Christians just switch off any thought of fulfilling a caring stewarrdship towards animals and use the term ‘dominion’ in a far from biblically accurate manner. However, God is not mocked and the evil we wilfully sow will surely come back to us. It is not without reason that a more vegan like lifestyle – even a vegetarian one – has truly remarkable health benefits attached to it. Cancers and Coronaries are exceedingly less frequent where there is no animal food assimilated.
Much meat eating and carnal lust are also connected, and all such things surely need considering as one wonders what to ‘give up’ at least for Lent, if not forever. Forgive me if I’ve ‘rambled on’, but I’ve not been styled the animals padre for nothing; nor am I a patron of the Christian Vegetarian Society of the UK. without good reason.
May the Good Shepherd bless us all and help us to be as kind, caring and compassionate as He is; and this Lent could – please God!- give us all the opportunity to get that bit closer to His precious bleeding side.
http://www.animalpadre.org and http://www.christianvegetarian.co.uk