What is fasting

[whichwaytogo47]

Is fasting eating only bread & water for a day? Is it abstaining from meat? Does it involve skipping a meal(s)? I could fast from other things, including complaining or chocoolate or other sins that are unhealthy for the soul, such as gossiping, greed, gluttony, idolatry, envy, pride, deceit or anything that brings us ruin. I’d like to have more devotional confessions and am really struggling, going for the same sins over and over again.

I feel like when I “fast” by skipping a meal and than pigging out, I’m missing the purpose of fasting - fasting is something that is supposed to be more sacrificial than being hungry for a couple of hours only to get it completely fulfilled as a glutton.

I love to fast when I need to pray for someone or I love to offer up a missed or forgotten meal. I am wondering if this is misguided spirituality.

 

[1ke]

What is fasting?

Fasting is restricting the quantity of food you eat.

Is fasting eating only bread & water for a day?

It could be. Yes.

Is it abstaining from meat?

Abstaining from meat is not fasting. Fasting deals with the quantity of food you eat. Abstention deals with the kind of food you eat.

Does it involve skipping a meal(s)?

It could.

I could fast from other things, including complaining or chocoolate or other sins that are unhealthy for the soul, such as gossiping, greed, gluttony, idolatry, envy, pride, deceit or anything that brings us ruin.

That is a virtuous goal. It is prudent to strive for virtue. It’s not fasting.

I feel like when I “fast” by skipping a meal and than pigging out, I’m missing the purpose of fasting - fasting is something that is supposed to be more sacrificial than being hungry for a couple of hours only to get it completely fulfilled as a glutton.

You are correct, that is not fasting.

I love to fast when I need to pray for someone or I love to offer up a missed or forgotten meal. I am wondering if this is misguided spirituality

Seek guidance from your pastor.

Remember, on the obligatory days of fasting in the Church the guidelines state we can have one full meal and two smaller meals. Since Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are also days of abstinence, the meals cannot have meat in them. This is for the 24 hour period of midnight to midnight. There is no obligation to fast on bread and water or skip meals. But you can do that if you want.

 

[Wife.of.Gabriel]

Fasting is abstaining from all food & drink, besides water. for a set period of time. I think Fasting is only required once or twice a year officially☆, but it’s spiritually and physically beneficial to practice it much more frequently. Intermittent Fasting is very popular for health & fitness. ☆ correction, Fasting is required for an hour before each Mass, for people receiving the Eucharist.

Abstinence is removing specific foods from your diet for a set period of time. Traditionally, Catholics Abstained from meat on Fridays for example and in other Christians cultures, like Greece, Abstention from meats, fish, eggs, dairy, olive oil & wine are the norm each Wednesday & Friday of the year.

Fasting & Abstinence can be used together or separately to deepen your spiritual life & increase overall physical health.

 

[Dan_Defender]

‘First of all, guard against every evil word and every evil desire, and cleanse your heart of all the vanities of this world. If you observe these things, this fast of yours will be perfect. And this is what you must do: when you have completed what has been written, you must taste nothing except bread and water on that day on which you fast. Then you must estimate the cost of the food you would have eaten on that day on which you intend to fast, and give it to a widow or an orphan or someone in need. In this way you will become humble-minded, so that as a result of your humble-mindedness the one who receives may satisfy his own soul and pray to the Lord on your behalf. If, then, you complete the fast in this way as I have commanded you, your sacrifice will be acceptable in God’s sight, and this fast will be recorded, and the service performed in this way is beautiful and joyous and acceptable to the Lord.’ - The Shepherd of Hermas

 

[1ke]

Fasting is abstaining from all food & drink, besides water. for a set period of time.

That is not the definition of fasting.

That is one form of fasting.

 

[rose321]

That is not the definition of fasting.

That is one form of fasting.

Respectfully fully agree with, thank you for making that point!.
Lead me in search of>>>What is True Fasting to God?
What does God consider to be fasting?
How does God want us to fast for Him that gives Him great pleasure?

Listing Isaiah Chapter 58:3-9 Interesting, in beginning he mention’s>>your fasting?

" Lo, on your fast day you carry out your own pursuits
and drive all your laborers.
Yes, your fast ends in quarreling and fighting
striking with wicked claw.
Would that today you might fast
so as to make your voice heard on high!
Is this the manner of fasting I wish,
of keeping a day of penance.
That a man bow his head like a reed,
and lie in sackcloth and ashes?
Do you call this a fast
a day acceptable to the Lord?

This rather, is the fasting that I wish:
releasing those bound unjustly
untying the thongs of the yoke;
Setting free the oppressed.
Sharing your bread with the hungry,
sheltering the oppressed and the homeless:
Clothing the naked when you see them,
and not turning your back on your own.

Then the light shall break forth like the dawn,
and your wound shall quickly be healed;
Your vindication shall go before you,
and the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.
then you shall call and the Lord will answer,
you shall cry for help and he will say, Here I am!

God continues on how we are to fast>remove the oppression,false accusation, malicious speech, bestow your bread to the hungry, satisfy the afflicted etc
At the end then you will delight in the Lord and I will make your ride on the heights of the earth.
Peace