Fast in Lent because?!?

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What is the significance behind fasting and/or giving up something you love during the time of Lent?

What is the significance behind the “40 days”?

Mucho gracias 😍
 
Jesus did it.
Moses and the Israelites wandered through the desert for 40 years.

Purification mst be done before the feast of Easter.
 
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Why do we do it if Jesus said He desires mercy not sacrifice? Is there no point to it at all?

And if sacrificial practices in terms of prayer for example, actually work for you, should you continue doing as you’re doing or stop because of what Jesus said?
 
They did but you know…I feel like I obviously don’t truly understand the significance as I fail to keep any sort of Lenten promise, however easy what I give up is…
 
Maximilian75 said:
Jesus did it.
Moses and the Israelites wandered through the desert for 40 days.

Purification mst be done before the feast of Easter.
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Very true but Id love to know more about the story of lent. How long has it been going on? Who started this tradition as we know it today?
 
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Jesus also was with the apostles for 40 days after the Resurrection I believe.
 
Ah fasting. Don’t you hate it? I know I do. But it is good for the soul. You may be familiar with the pyramid of goods? Food and clothing are first necessities. Shelter is next. Etc, etc. Basically, if you have ever fasted you know that you find it hard to focus on things other than your hunger. But that is good. All other desires go away leaving our stomach growling for food. Thus, our bad desires for sexual pleasure, gossiping, and such are diminished as we focus on our hunger.

It refocuses us on what really matters. Everything in this world is extraneous. Food is a necessity. Likewise, our spiritual food is a necessity. Worldly goods won’t satisfy us just like other pleasures besides food won’t satisfy our appetite.

Mortification, penance, and refocusing on what truly matters. In my personal opinion. The Church needs more fasting days besides Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. I would hate it. But it would help the faithful.
 
Wow great perspective! I’d never thought of it in that way before - your remark gives me new purpose this Lent ❤️
 
Just do it. Commit to a 40 day loss of something. No matter what when it’s over you are changed. Some people give up something they really don’t think they can. When it’s over they see their in some fresh air and don’t want to go back inside.
 
Our Orthodox brothers are very tight on their fasting; they fast throughout the year, not just in Lent.

Great Lent is the longest and strictest fasting season of the year.

Week before Lent (“Cheesefare Week”): Meat and other animal products are prohibited, but eggs and dairy products are permitted, even on Wednesday and Friday.

First Week of Lent: Only two full meals are eaten during the first five days, on Wednesday and Friday after the Presanctified Liturgy. Nothing is eaten from Monday morning until Wednesday evening, the longest time without food in the Church year. (Few laymen keep these rules in their fullness). For the Wednesday and Friday meals, as for all weekdays in Lent, meat and animal products, fish, dairy products, wine and oil are avoided. On Saturday of the first week, the usual rule for Lenten Saturdays begins (see below).

Weekdays in the Second through Sixth Weeks: The strict fasting rule is kept every day: avoidance of meat, meat products, fish, eggs, dairy, wine and oil.

Saturdays and Sundays in the Second through Sixth Weeks: Wine and oil are permitted; otherwise the strict fasting rule is kept.

Holy Week: The Thursday evening meal is ideally the last meal taken until Pascha. At this meal, wine and oil are permitted. The Fast of Great and Holy Friday is the strictest fast day of the year: even those who have not kept a strict Lenten fast are strongly urged not to eat on this day. After St. Basil’s Liturgy on Holy Saturday, a little wine and fruit may be taken for sustenance. The fast is sometimes broken on Saturday night after Resurrection Matins, or, at the latest, after the Divine Liturgy on Pascha.

Wine and oil are permitted on several feast days if they fall on a weekday during Lent. Consult your parish calendar. On Annunciation and Palm Sunday, fish is also permitted.
http://www.abbamoses.com/fasting.html

I am actually trying to follow their rule for a week, I will probably fail on the first day because my parents will make me eat something that has dairy or meat or oil too probably.
 
Jesus was more hardcore than we’re expected to be. He fasted for 40 days in the desert and ate nothing according to Luke.
 
Fr. Mike Schmitz has a fantastic and quick video on fasting that gives a great overview of the why:
 
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