Abstaining/fasting during Advent

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tomarin

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Is anyone abstaining from alcohol (or anything else) during Advent? I know it’s purely optional, but I’m giving it a go and could use some solidarity.
 
We Byzantine Catholics observe the Nativity Fast in preparation for the Nativity of our Lord. It started November 15 and runs through December 24. We abstain from meat and dairy. Fish, oil and wine are permitted at certain times during the fast.

ZP
 
ziapueblo said:
We Byzantine Catholics observe the Nativity Fast in preparation for the Nativity of our Lord. It started November 15 and runs through December 24. We abstain from meat and dairy. Fish, oil and wine are permitted at certain times during the fast.

ZP
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Most impressive.
 
However, the Byzantine fast varies wildly by church.

For the Pittsburgh Archeparchy formerly known as Ruthenian, we , well, tend to have it on the calendar.

We’re kind of the fasting wimps of the Eastern Churches 😜😱🤣

hawk
 
I’m with you. Giving up alcohol until Christmas Eve night. I also am trying to do daily prayer more consistently - centered around the daily readings.
 
I’m Ruthenian also so I get it 😂 I have a Melkite friend so I follow what they, do as best I can 🤣

ZP
 
I’ve always treated Christmas season as a perpetual feast Thanksgiving to Epiphany, and never practiced Advent in a penitential way before. This year, I’m abstaining from alcohol except for office holiday party and one meal out with coworkers, drinking coffee black during weekdays, fasting on Fridays and skipping some meals or lessoning portions daily. Also I’m going to listen to at least one religious based video at work instead of music per day.
 
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Since Advent is all about preparing the way of the Lord, its great to do whatever can help with that. Lent we prepare ourselves through fasting. Advent we prepare not just ourselves but our relationships, friendships, careers, interests, and our bodies. So for me I’m not fasting or giving anything up since I think that only focuses on preparing ourselves which is more Lenten whereas Advent is preparing the way and our bodies are only one part of this way 🙂

So for Advent my goal is weekly confession because that impacts my body but also my relationship with others and with Jesus. Its also going to be hard for me because I get nervous in confession and sometimes lose the courage to say certain more embarrassing sins (which actually happened to me yesterday at Confession…). So I’m allowing this Advent season to allow God to really work through me, help me to use confession more often, help me to be more courageous and humble enough to name all my sins, and to have the willpower to endure throughout the weeks.

Come Holy Spirit, kindle the hearts of your faithful and you will renew the face of the Earth,
  • Matt
 
ziapueblo said:
I’m Ruthenian also so I get it 🤣 I have a Melkite friend so I follow what they, do as best I can 🤣
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There is work on a Melkite mission here. I’ve been to (and served at) all but one of the liturgies. Saturday evenings didn’t work, so it’s back to a planning stage.

Anyway, the oddity of the light rules for our church is that the Eastern fasting rules aren’t minimums or under penalty of sin, like the Western rules, but goals to drive for . . .

hawk
 
I would love it if there was a Melkite mission in town. Do you know what the process is to look into getting one started?

ZP
 
The rough version seems to be to contact the bishop and have a priest willing to come out. A couple of local Melkites largely financed the transportation and lodging for the priest and donations to the host parish.

hawk
 
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