IN FOCUS -NOT BY BREAD ALONE | KAIROS GLOBAL | OCTOBER 2018

Author: Joseph Anthraper

Intro: Feasting and fasting are both intrinsically part of Christian life. We might be masters of feasting but how about fasting? Joseph Anthraper delves into the tradition and theology of fasting in Christian spirituality

The Corporal works of mercy mandates a Catholic to feed the hungry and give drink to the thirsty, so much so that Jesus says that in the final judgement the Son of Man would separate the righteous from the rest based on these works of mercy. Following the mandate of its founder, the Church from its foundation has been keen to exercise these works of mercy in and among her brethren, by feeding the hungry and clothing the naked. Paradoxically, this same Church from her inception has also exhorted her sons and daughters to fast and pray – as a means to enter more into the mystery of God himself.

Two dimensional fast

So when food is a basic human necessity for sustenance, why fast? As with the Sacraments and most other things in Catholicism, fasting also has two dimensions – a human dimension and one that transcends human dimension and touches the divine.

Everything God has created, including our desires is good – and food is no exception. In fact, as we pray at Mass during the preparation of gifts, “Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation, for through your goodness we have received the bread we offer you: fruit of the earth and work of human hands, it will become for us the bread of life” – to take the gifts of the earth and make it a life-giving ‘meal’ through the ingenuity of his/her hands, served and shared at a table with his/her friends and family around is a uniquely human gift. Through fasting, as we say ‘No’ to this gift, the hope is that we are saying ‘Yes’ to a much greater gift – the gift of God himself. The great tragedy of humanity from time immemorial has been that we get so engrossed in the gifts of God that we forget God himself, who is the greatest gift. We seek happiness in the created order that we seldom have time for the one who promises us joy in its fullness (Jn 15:11). By taking a step back through fasting, one is creating the space for him/her to be filled with the joy of God himself – from the realisation that the insatiability of his/her desires can only be satisfied in God (Jn 4:14).

The second dimension can be considered a vicarious one. As St Athanasius says, “the Son of God

became man so that we might become God,” the goal of Christianity is such that we become like God (Jn 1:12) following the footsteps of the one who emptied himself (Phil 2:6-8). Paradoxically, it is at the depth of ‘God-forsakenness’ that we find God – as Christ redeemed humanity on the cross, crying aloud “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (Mt 27:46). Albeit in a very small way, fasting can be an entrance into this place of suffering and God-forsakenness, where without us under-standing how, God makes it redemptive and through it works miracles and wonders.

Self-Control

Fasting has long been part of the ascetic tradition of many religions – not just the Catholic Church, because of its inherent ability as a gateway to orient human desires in proper order. Desires by themselves are good, in fact very good. Each of our desires is a gift from God that ought to serve us in our journey of life. Yet, the reality of Sin is in us and all around us – and desires often become our masters and we its servants. Throughout history and especially with the Christian Monastic Tradition that began in the fourth century, fasting prayer has always provided a sure means of entering into one’s interior life, thereby orienting one’s desires in the proper order. Even today, fasting can be a good starting point for the proper ordering of one’s desires.

Deliverance

In the Gospel of Matthew, we read Jesus casting out a demon his disciples couldn’t and telling them that “this kind never comes out except by prayer and fasting.” The Old Testament in particular abounds of stories of deliverance that came about through prayer and fasting. The Church has also long advocated prayer and fasting as a means of deliverance from evil, and as a sure means of having prayers granted. Jesus himself fasted and prayed for 40 days before beginning his ministry (Mt 4:2).

Slow and Fast

Most of us find fasting extremely hard – so how to go about it? The Church recommends that we fast every Friday, in addition to the mandatory days of fasting. Start slow – start by skipping lunch or even reducing food during the day, and work it up. There might be ups and downs, but don’t get disappointed. Always remember that fasting is not our ultimate goal – it is just a path to our goal. And combine prayer with fasting, for as apologist Matt Fradd puts it, “fasting without prayer is, well, dieting.”

We are a pilgrim people on a journey towards a feast – the wedding banquet of the Lamp and His

bride. And on this journey, fasting prayer is a crucial source of nourishment building up our spiritual self, making us more like Jesus. Feasting and fasting are both intrinsically part of Christian life, and without one the other loses its meaning. Of course, we feast because “we are an Easter People and Alleluia is our song” (JP2 Angelus, Easter 1986), but as St John Paul II himself reiterated, more than ever in today’s world we also need to “discover anew the humility and the courage to pray and fast so that power from on high will break down the walls of lies and deceit” (Gospel of Life, 100). So, let’s get on and get going!

Joseph Anthraper lives in Southampton with his wife Mahima and kids, Anna-Claire and John-Paul and loves reading, movies and apologetics. He is part of the Kairos Global Editorial Council.