No Meat, No Eat: Catholic Fast Days?

[Mrs_Sally]

I have to put cream in my coffee because of inflammation of the stomach lining, probably the start of an ulcer that bothers me from time to time. Does that count as medicine?

And here is something else that happened… I forgot about the ulcer and wanted to try a garlic pill. Garlic pills burn. I had to hurriedly down some yogurt to quell the burning. Does that count as medicine? I later thought, maybe I should have grabbed some pepto bismol, though I’m not sure it would have been as effective.

I thought the idea was to avoid food and anything that would satisfy the craving for food. In these instances isn’t this intention preserved?

If you are fasting before Mass, it is easiest to just not have anything but water for that hour. If you must eat because of prescribed medicine you are taking, than you have no obligation to fast. But, if you are taking supplements and the like under your own authority, I would reccomend that you just hold off until after Mass. The regular fast for healthy people does not permit coffee or tea–just water.

 

[Mrs_Sally]

The fasting on Good Friday does permit us to eat one meal and 2 snacks (less than half a meal each). In that case, you could consider the yogurt one of your snacks. However, I do think that a day of fast is not the time to be experimenting with supplements, new recipes, or anything think that! A simple meal of veggies, bread and cheese and a couple of light fruit snacks–nothing too extraordinary. The focus shouldn’t be on the food, but on Jesus. Very few average adults are going to pass out from missing a meal–even a few times a week. And if you know you will, than you should see your doctor and get on a healthy meal plan.

Thank you so much for this (name removed by moderator)ut

I am speaking of days-long fasting - on Fridays in memory of Jesus’ passion and for penance, not just before communion.

I think I am not ok on slugging the yogurt down. Although it wasn’t intentional and was a desire for relief I got the feeling it wasn’t acceptable.

But I have the feeling fruit and vegetable juices are. Did I read that right in prior posts, that they are ok according the Church?

I would think a bread and water fast would be easier than a juice fast, no?

You know, I learned when they discovered my thyroid problem that fasting slows down the thyroid quite a bit. When my thyroid is low it is so much easier to pray, and to pray without distraction, to focus and direct my will and my love. I never could find in any catholic literature if that was one of the reasons to fast.
Does anyone know if it is, besides the sacrifice for God, one of the reasons?
And I think of the type of demon to get rid of which Jesus said one must fast and pray. And I wonder why? What is it about fasting that makes the difference? does anyone know?

Thank you again so much for your (name removed by moderator)ut.

 

[lp22]

Thanks so much for the discussion!

Regarding all-day fasts for God…

if I take fruit and vegetable juices (V8, for ex) is it still a fast?

If I put cream in my coffee to avoid hurting an ulcer is it still a fast?

Is taking coffee considered breaking a pentitential fast?

Again, I’m talking about all day fasts here, not the fast before Communion.

I wonder how Jesus did a 40-day fast

 

[Mrs_Sally]

The church has defined a fast as one regular meal and two snacks (not to equal a 2nd full meal). You may include coffee, juice, and cream with whatever you eat on a fast day.

If you plan to fast as in not eat anything at all, please check with your dr first if you have troubles like an ulcer.

If you are going to take on a penance beyond what the church prescribes, you should also check with your priest. The church does not currently require a no food at all fast for laity.

 

[lp22]

Thank you!

 

[joannazenobia]

And I think of the type of demon to get rid of which Jesus said one must fast and pray. And I wonder why? What is it about fasting that makes the difference? does anyone know?

Thank you again so much for your (name removed by moderator)ut.

Just my opinion, but fasting is in imitation of Jesus’s 40 days in the desert. Remember when the devil tried to tempt him? Over the last few weeks I have been fasting on Fridays and sometimes WED and FRI to prepare for Lent (and for penance for personal reasons).

Fasting is when we should really submit ourself to a lot of prayer/meditation. We can resist the hunger urge through Christ. BUt the food hunger can also be translated to other forms of hunger and temptations to sin, like TV, internet, alcohol, cigarretes, etc. Its really a great way to practice sumbitting yourself wholly to the Lord and asking him to purge our souls of temptations, and reflect upon those who desperatley need our prayers in our life. It forces me to stop one day a week and really meditate where Christ’s mercy is desperatly needed in our world.

I personally really love the whole fasting Fridays which I think I’m going to keep doing. I think overindulgence in food has really gone out of control in our society. Although I thought I read that although fasting is no longer required on Fridays we are required to do some form of penance during the week instead.

 

[sheilathebard]

I did the every-day fast in Lent thing once, for a week. It wasn’t my decision; I was staying with a friend and they didn’t tell me till I arrived that they were all fasting. They said I wasn’t obligated to join them, but for one thing, I felt guilty eating when they were fasting, and for another, there wasn’t much food in the house.

For me, it did not work well and I don’t intend ever to do it again. I felt sick most of the time, dizzy, low on energy, headachey, and grouchy. And two weeks later (not to be TMI or anything) I missed a period … my body seriously thought it was starving. I am sure that can’t be healthy. Now some people can do it and be fine – but not me. I would advise trying it for a week or so before deciding positively to do it for the whole 40 days.

I believe all liquids are allowed – however, you have to ask if it’s “in the spirit” of fasting. I mean, are you having a million different drinks just so it’s not a sacrifice to fast? But when I feel my blood sugar plummeting on a fast day, I do drink something.

I am a horrible faster, so it’s kind of a relief that I’m going to be pregnant the whole time this time around and I’m dispensed. (My mother will fast while pregnant – but I am strongly against this. I think it’s important for the baby to get what it needs.) I think I will fast from something else, like Internet – that would be a big sacrifice for me!

 

[Mrs_Sally]

We are only required to fast two days a year now. And even then, you are dispensed if you have a medical condition (like diabetes) or are pregnant.

Fasting from some other good thing is a great alternative. Just remember that a fast is giving up something that is objectively good for the sake of something better (our relationship with God). Giving up something we shouldn’t be doing anyway (2nd desserts for example or neglecting work for video games) isn’t a sacrifice!

 

[lp22]

a fast is giving up something that is objectively good

or worldly, right?

sheilathebard, I wonder if you have low thyroid like I do. When fasting, by about 3 or 4 my blood sugar - or something - drops so low I have to lay down. But I am indeed hypothyroid, which can cause hypoglycemia, and I think I read that fasting lowers thyroid levels - they tell us not to do it. (I have pills so I do it anyhow)

Low thyroid can also cause female complications and complications with pregnancies

I wish I could get a firm answer on the cream in the coffee. I thought I read at advent.org (can’t find it now) that no coffee was the rule, much less cream because milk products were considered food.

I understand the Catholic fasting rule. If real no-eating fasting lowers thyroid, is it that we do it because it’s *easier * to pray without distraction? Does the brain slow down ?

WHY did people not eat? I think that if fasting was a no-eat thing for centuries there must have been a good reason for it beyond the sacrifice involved.

I would like to know what Jesus’ 40-day fast was like - what He allowed Himself. Forty days is a long time to fast the way I’ve been fasting. But maybe that’s the idea… I mean, maybe we are supposed to take time to be flat on our backs, something our society doesn’t allow any more but if you were living in poverty, as Jesus was, and didn’t have to answer to a boss it wouldn’t matter.

Just brainstorming.

Thanks for the (name removed by moderator)ut, joanna, about the demon. But I still don’t understand why the fasting helps get rid of that certain type of demon. I wonder if anyone has read about this.

Thanks for letting me ramble

 

[joannazenobia]

a fast is giving up something that is objectively good

Let me clarify. Last year around Lent i tried to fast and I too couldn’t do it. BUT, since I started submerging myself in my Catholic faith over these last 6 mos…and I mean that literally. I’ve gone through a huge conversion and spend a lot of time reading the scripture, catechism, reflection/meditation, prayer going to mass 4-5 * /week…not out of obligation but because God is calling me home to him and I just have this burning desire.

It’s something you have to work your way up to as you gradually grow, closer and closer to God. You do it out of love as penance for your sins. It is highly recommended that Catholics perfrom self-denial all fourty days. Now is a good time for prayer/meditation and asking Lord Jesus in your heart where in your life to you need a “tune-up” and what approrpriate fast would he like you to do. Its reasonable to go directly to him. The goal at the end of Lent is that your heart and love grows deeper for the love of Christ and his sacrifice and it really does work!!

You can also do extra ministries, like tend to the sick/poor, etc.