Lenten Musings

I’ve been doing some reading on the different types of Lenten fasting observed in both the Eastern and Western expressions of Christianity. My recent focus has been on researching how the original Lenten fast observed in the church changed throughout history, and why the East eats “no animal with a backbone” during Great Lent, and absolutely no animal products like cheese and eggs, while the West has no prohibitions on fish during Lent, nor on dairy or poultry products. Also, why does the East abstain all throughout Lent(even on Sunday’s) from meat and dairy products, while the West declares Sunday “abstinence free”? (Both traditions observe the admonition of the 6th Ecumenical Council which forbade fasting on Saturdays and especially Sundays.)

In my reading today I came across an article entitled: “Justice as Asceticism” by Maria Gwyn McDowell, (http://www.antiochian.org/justice-asceticism-see side bar for direct link) which focuses not on what exactly we’re “supposed” to eat or not eat during Lent, nor even of the benefits we personally derive from observing the Lenten disciplines, but on the concept of justice as asceticism. She quotes from Isaiah 58, where it says:

58.6 Is not this the fast that I choose:
to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke,
to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke?
7 Is it not to share your bread with the hungry,
and bring the homeless poor into your house;
when you see the naked, to cover them,
and not to hide yourself from your own kin?
8 Then your light shall break forth like the dawn,
and your healing shall spring up quickly;
your vindicator shall go before you,
the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.
9 Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer;
you shall cry for help, and he will say, Here I am. [1] (New Revised Standard Version)

She then goes on with several quotes by St. John Chyrsostem such as: “almsgiving, our excellent counselor, the queen of virtues, who quickly raises human beings to the heavenly vaults” and also St. Basil, quoted here:

“The bread in your cupboard belongs to the hungry man; the coat hanging unused in your closet belongs to the man who needs it; the shoes rotting in your closet belong to the man who has no shoes; the money which you put in the bank belongs to the poor. You do wrong to everyone you could help, but fail to help.”

I encourage you to read the whole article. It has given me plenty of (Lenten) food for meditation. I have been pondering St. John Chyrsostem’s description of the “true fast”, the one “pleasing to the Lord” over the last few weeks, and praying the prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian. I pray that I can move from thought to action!

I’d love to hear from you all regarding your Lenten observances and traditions.  Chime in any time. Also, if you’re reading this and come across any faux pas, please feel free to point them out to me!

Pax