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Giving up something during the Lenten Season
St. Jerome's Church, Tin Shui Wai |
For the whole 6 years I have spent here in Hong Kong, it was all about work during most days that 90% of the population of the Earth are going on a holiday. Working in a theme park is difficult in such a way that the more people go on a vacation, the more you are in demand at the workplace. This year, I am truly blessed with ample time and for that, I was more than willing to give some of my time to the Lord by participating in the Way of the Cross and Lord's Passion on a Good Friday. It's been an awfully long time that I have given back some time to God. Well, here's the thing, this is my own way of sacrificing something I find difficulty of letting go.
Amongst Catholics during the Lenten season, there are a number of practices that are required to be done. And fasting is one. Let me help you refresh your idea of FASTING:
"Fasting is primarily an act of willing abstinence or reduction from certain or all food, drink, or both, for a period of time.
For Roman Catholics, fasting is the reduction of one's intake of food to one full meal (which may not contain meat on Fridays throughout Lent) and two small meals (known liturgically as collations, taken in the morning and the evening), both of which together should not equal the large meal. Eating solid food between meals is not permitted. Fasting is required of the faithful between the ages of 18 and 59 on specified days. Complete abstinence, required of those 14 and older, is the avoidance of meat for the entire day. Partial abstinence prescribes that meat be taken only once during the course of the day.
Pope Pius XII had initially relaxed some of the regulations concerning fasting in 1956. In 1966, Pope Paul VI in his apostolic constitution Paenitemini, changed the strictly regulated Roman Catholic fasting requirements. He recommended that fasting be appropriate to the local economic situation, and that all Catholics voluntarily fast and abstain. In the United States, there are only two obligatory days of fast – Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. The Fridays of Lent are days of abstinence: eating meat is not allowed. Pastoral teachings since 1966 have urged voluntary fasting during Lent and voluntary abstinence on the other Fridays of the year. The regulations concerning such activities do not apply when the ability to work or the health of a person would be negatively affected.
Prior to the changes made by Pius XII and Paul VI, fasting and abstinence were more strictly regulated. The church had prescribed that Roman Catholics observe fasting and/or abstinence on a number of days throughout the year.
In addition to the fasts mentioned above, Roman Catholics must also observe the Eucharistic Fast, which involves taking nothing but water and medicines into the body for one hour before receiving the Eucharist. The ancient practice was to fast from midnight until Mass that day, but as Masses after noon and in the evening became common, this was soon modified to fasting for three hours. Current law requires merely one hour of eucharistic fast, although some Roman Catholics still abide by the older rules.
The Catholic Church has also promoted a Black Fast, in which in addition to water, bread is consumed. Typically, this form of fasting was only used by monks and other religious individuals who practice mortifications and asceticism, but all Catholics are invited to take part in it with the advice and consent of their Spiritual Director."
- WIKIPEDIA
Now, don't get me wrong but I've always understood the bible in a way that it has deeper meanings to it. Not every word should be translated as is but it uses a lot of metaphors. Putting my understanding of fasting into practice, I believe that it should not be limited to any food intake but it should be applied to the one thing that is very hard for us to give up. I took "my writing" into halt for example during the Lenten weekend. I almost write everyday and it means to me that I may be able to express myself thru writing. Without writing, I feel suffocated or unheard. I feel that a day is wasted without contributing anything thru writing. I loose myself to it that I often end up sleeping late. I don't have a sense of time nor tiresome. Now, that's me.
For other people, you might be hooked up to doing a lot of silly stuff that you're so into it, you are doing it subconsciously already. Drinking soda (COKE - in particular, as it is addicting to some), smoking, indulging on happy hours, watching too much TV (include how much you watch PORN), stalking on Facebook, indulging on chocolates, anything that you really may have been indulging in remarkable amounts of time, effort and substance that aren't feeding your spiritual self at all. Fasting is denying the id (which is the mortal self) of everything that it wants. So don't limit yourself to refraining from eating meat. If you know yourself, you know what to give up. I am happy that I was given ample time and strength to give back to the Lord together with my husband. He was supportive of what I believe in despite not being a Roman Catholic. He is a Baha'i believer and they have their own concept of Fasting. But he was respectful of the Catholic way. He had some questions but I love his effort of coming with me having the same intention of giving back something to God.
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