Was my fast acceptable?

[taye]

Yesterday was my first fast. I was poorly catechised so this is new to me. I’m afraid now that I’ve done it all wrong. Firstly, I had some tea (with honey). I was assuming honey was okay because coffee is fine, so I assumed one could add cream and sugar to it. I would have had the chance to look it up online, but chose not to. I have OCD and tend to be scrupulous and I was afraid I was going to spend too much time online if I started to look for an answer to all my questions. I also had half a glass of chocolate milk. Milk, but chocolate? Why did I do that? In terms of the size of meals, it seems that everyone has their opinion on the right way to go about it - either two half meals and one large meal or to simply eat less at the two smaller meals. I chose to eat less at my two smaller meals, but not exactly “less than half”. I have a small stomach and my first two meals are very small and there is much snacking done between them to keep up with my energy. Was that ok?

What is bothering me most is that I didn’t take the opportunity to explain to my husband about the importance of fasting. I believe that he hasn’t been explained about it during catechism as well. I was afraid that he would be annoyed at me… Yet, not being hurt was more important to me than keeping him from sinning. Did I do wrong?

 

[JRKH]

Don’t worry about it. You did fine.
God is not worried about the fine points of how and what you did or did not do.
The important fact is that you thought of Him and chose to sacrifice for him to the very best of your ability - even to the point of wondering if you “did it wrong”.

Guidelines for fasting are just that. They are guidelines. If this or that tittle or tattle is not performed precisely it does not nullify the acceptablility.

So long as your sacrifice was done out of Love for Him and a desire to grow closer to Him by this sacrifice, then you did great.

Peace
James

 

[Mirror_Mirror]

Be sure to focus on the reason for the fast, not the what you did or did not eat or drink. The fast is your sacrifice and that is the important part. Being new to this I can assure you that you will have more and more questions and in due time you will find the answers that you are searching for, but for now, take comfort in the Lord and know that your willingness to fast and sacrifice for Him is pleasing. He is not so much concerned about white versus chocolate milk as He is about the actions that you took on that day to give some sacrifice, however small, to mirror the sacrifice that Christ makes for us. Now there is no way that we can fathom or even come close to the sacrifices that Jesus made for you and for me, but we can do what we can in our own “little” way.

God bless you for your efforts.

 

[DavidKays]

Hi! I am Greek Orthodox and I was pleased to see that the last post did answer correctly your concerns. The Orthodox Church is a Church that fasts. We not only fast on fridays but also every wednesday. We fast 2 days every week. I use to kid my catholic friends when they ask me do you have Ash Wednesday in the OC. I respond to them saying " every wednesday is Ash Wednesday!". I tell you that you don’t see many chubby orthodox ( pun only ). We fast every wednesday and friday and of course the 40 days of Lent and we have a 40 day period for Advent ( you Catholics have it easy I mean just 4 weeks for advent, eh! ) and we have a 2 week period before the Great Feast of the Apostles Peter and Paul and we have also a 2 week period before the Great Feast of the Dormition which is the same as the Assumption of Our Blessed Mother. We also have fasting before Holy Communion which starts at Midnight the night before and lasts before your Communion in the morning. Our fasting has a lot of guidelines so there is no rules to break because each individual is responsible to their own fasting and can follow at their own descretion with the guidance from their Confessor. Obedience is worth more to God than fasting. So obey your Church and your Confessor. And also fasting should not deter you from Communion. I mean I have seen some of our Orthodox not taking Communion at their Divine Liturgy because they have not fasted enough. Personally I think that is wrong. A person at Communion should receive Our Lord because that is what is more important for that person. Fasting is only a tool and not the chief means if you receive Jesus or not. I am sure Jesus will be more displeased with you for not receiving Him than that you had not fasted. Your fasting is between you and God and everyone can be different towards their fasting disclipline. There is no right or wrong. But please do not fast from Communion which everyone must partake as long as they are in a state of Grace. Fasting is definitedly not more important than receiving Communion. Fasting though can help us see and receive Jesus more in this great sacrament. You are thinking of Jesus more when you are fasting. Also the great eastern saint John Chysostom writes that a major benefit from fasting is that you will have more money in your bank account and then you can use that extra money to help the poor. You eat less you will have more money. Makes cents! Glod Bless!

 

[OraLabora]

Hi! I am Greek Orthodox and I was pleased to see that the last post did answer correctly your concerns. The Orthodox Church is a Church that fasts. We not only fast on fridays but also every wednesday. We fast 2 days every week.

Sounds like Benedictine monks (and Trappists/Cistercians), they also fast every Wednesday or Friday unless it’s a feast day.

 

[baltobetsy]

DavidKays, thank you so much for this wonderful look into Orthodox ways.

In the Roman Catholic Church, there is a specific rule for fasting before Communion, which must be followed. It is only to do without food and drink (except water and medicine) for one hour before receiving Communion. It’s a small thing, but very important.

The other difference is about the obligation to receive Holy Communion. For us, there is the obligation to receive only once a year, between the First Sunday of Lent and Trinity Sunday. Anyone in a state of grace may receive - even every day is encouraged - but no one is required to except for once a year.

Looking forward to hearing more from you - welcome!

Betsy

And also fasting should not deter you from Communion. I mean I have seen some of our Orthodox not taking Communion at their Divine Liturgy because they have not fasted enough. Personally I think that is wrong. A person at Communion should receive Our Lord because that is what is more important for that person. Fasting is only a tool and not the chief means if you receive Jesus or not. I am sure Jesus will be more displeased with you for not receiving Him than that you had not fasted. Your fasting is between you and God and everyone can be different towards their fasting disclipline. There is no right or wrong. But please do not fast from Communion which everyone must partake as long as they are in a state of Grace.