On Ash Wednesday, the priest invites you to “the observance of a holy Lent, by self-examination and repentance; by prayer, fasting, and self-denial…” We are used to hearing exhortations from our clergy to pray - indeed, prayer is the central work of the Christian soul. However, in that short list there are two other disciplines that we hear about less frequently: fasting and self-denial.

If you were in church last Sunday, you would have heard the story of Jesus being led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where he fasted for forty days and forty nights. (Matthew 4:1-2) When Jesus fasts, he is following a long established tradition. Moses fasted on Mt Sinai (Deuteronomy 9:9). King David fasted while interceding for the life of his child (2 Samuel 12:16-17). The Ninevites declared a fast in response to the prophecies of Jonah (Jonah 3:5)

After forty days of fasting, Jesus is weak, which is why the devil tests him. For strength, Jesus looks not to himself but to his Father in heaven. The words of Scripture, chosen by Jesus, underline Jesus’ reliance on the Father for wisdom and protection. Of course, eventually the Father will withdraw his protection, allowing Jesus to be arrested. Having trusted the Father thus far, Jesus is obedient to death, even death on a cross.

When we fast, we notice both mental and physical changes. Orthodox priest Andrew Louth observes that fasting may “induce weariness, a kind of fragility that deepens awareness of human dependence on God.” For a first timer, the temptation is to see hunger pangs having an intrinsic spiritual value. However, the practice is really about self-offering. St. Thomas Aquinas advises that we “abstain, with a cheerful heart, for God’s glory not our own.”

The 17th century cleric Jeremy Taylor called fasting “the wing of prayer.” As a Christian fasts, he or she is denying themselves in order to draw closer to God. The Catholic practice of fasting on Fridays helps us to remember, in a small but symbolic way, Christ’s sufferings on the cross. Bishop Knapp-Fisher adds that “through little acts of self-denial in matters of food, drink or amusements…God equips us to embrace those greater renunciations which are, at some time or another, required of all who would serve him.”

Fasting is a religious discipline that develops our moral life. Fasting, Pope Gregory the Great once said, “is not simply a reduction in our food, but the elimination of our evil habits.” The journey of faith has a moral aim, sharpened by prayer, fasting and almsgiving; by it we are becoming more perfect in virtue. Bishop Kenneth Kirk extols self control as the means by which fasting “allows the contented endurance of petty troubles and irritations; the power not to resent injury; the refusal to allow pleasure or self-indulgence to interfere with the moral purpose.” 

In an age of affluence and conspicuous consumption, now is a good time for the Church to advocate more strongly for the benefits of fasting. There are several good reasons. Fasting is a beneficial and time-honored practice recognized across all religions. It is an aid to prayer and unites us with those holy men and women who have gone before us. It draws us, body and soul, into a deeper understanding of our Lord’s sufferings. As Thomas said, fasting is not something you do primarily for your own sake, but for the Lord’s. 

The modern day resistance to fasting is partly due to the fact that people don’t understand it, or don’t feel it is necessary. In the early life of the Christian Church, candidates for baptism were required to fast for one or two days beforehand. Wednesday and Friday were also set aside as fast days. (Didache 7 & 8). Eventually there were additional periods of fasting in preparation for Easter (Lent) and Christmas (Advent). To fast during these periods meant abstaining from eating until late afternoon or early evening.

Fasting is a purely private and personal matter. It isn’t something you post on Facebook. Jesus warns us not to make a parade of our fasting, as did the Pharisees. He says: “when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that your fasting may be seen not by others but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” (Matthew 6:17-18)

All Christians are called to an interior life, and one of the roads that leads to wisdom is fasting. Like all good spiritual practices, it is simple and accessible. When linked to prayer, fasting is a powerful means of penitence and purification. It is, above all, a radical way of offering your whole self - body, mind and soul  - to God. 

Father David