Why don't we fast anymore in advent?

[little_flower_1]

unless i’m mistaken, we used to, right? why no more? the eastern rites still do, don’t they?

just a curiosity.

 

[mercygate]

little_flower:

unless i’m mistaken, we used to, right? why no more? the eastern rites still do, don’t they?

just a curiosity.

This question that always puzzles me. Do you need to have a mandate from on high for this? Has anyone said we are not to fast? If you think it helpful, then do it.

 

[little_flower_1]

thank you. like i said, i’m only curious, it’s no big dea. i know i can fast if i want to. not harping against current policy, really, i only want to know why there is no enforced fast anymore.

 

[puzzleannie]

we don’t fast and abstain any more on days and in seasons where it used to be mandatory because we are D+ Catholics who, like D+ students, do only the bare minimum to get a passing grade, and that only if the alternative is burning in hell. We have not yet learned to embrace penitential practices and other spiritual exercises out of love for Jesus Christ.

 

[Sir_Knight]

Yeah, but even to get a ‘D’, abstaining from meat is required on the Fridays of Lent, I could have sworn that it was also required during the Fridays of Advent when I was growing up but I can’t find anyone who remembers that.

 

[Flopfoot]

Puzzleannie, I think it’s a little insulting for you to be calling us D+ Catholics. (Whether it’s true or not, which I don’t know if it is, IMHO it’s still not a nice thing to say.)

Maybe we should consider why the Church made fasting in Advent not mandatory anymore. Is it because our leaders are D+ Catholics too? No. I’m sure there is a good reason for it. What I think it may be, is that while Lent is a great time for fasting and penance, Advent is meant to be a time of joy, as we anticipate the birthday of Jesus. Not that it would be wrong to fast, of course not. But I think there are other good things we can do that fit the season of Advent very well, such as spending more time with our family, making a point of trying to be kind to others in the community (especially the needy), being cheery and having ‘Christmas spirit’, etc., so that everyone can have a happy Christmas.

Maybe I just think this way because I was born in the 80s when all the old ideas were going out the window (I’ve hardly even heard about the Advent fast that used to be practiced). But still, it makes sense to me and I can understand why they didnt make the Advent fast mandatory any more.

 

[mercygate]

Grim though it be, I believe the common ascetical practices formerly practiced have been abrogated because very few people were doing them.

As a Convert, I am always kind of depressed by the how-little-do-I-have-to-do-and-still-have-it-count mentality I find among my fellow Catholics.

 

[Flopfoot]

The question is, does that mentality offend God though? Because if it’s not a sin, then it doesn’t offend God. And if it doesn’t offend God, then you should try not to let it bother you.

 

[puzzleannie]

Flopfoot:

Puzzleannie, I think it’s a little insulting for you to be calling us D+ Catholics. (Whether it’s true or not, which I don’t know if it is, IMHO it’s still not a nice thing to say.)

.

I attempted to answer the question as it was written. the question was not “Why does not the Catholic Church still mandate fasting?” the question was “Why do we not fast?”. I said “we” not “you”. The rules were changed so that we might choose these disciplines, do them out of love not fear. If “we” do not do them, it is because we choose NOT to do them. Others may disagree with my answer. If you don’t want my opinion, please do not request it. I am amazed by how many people join an opinion forum for the express purpose of resenting and taking umbrage when someone else voices an opinion.

 

[mercygate]

Flopfoot:

The question is, does that mentality offend God though? Because if it’s not a sin, then it doesn’t offend God. And if it doesn’t offend God, then you should try not to let it bother you.

Hmm. Offend? Is that really the question? To my mind, the generous heart deisres to please rather than merely not to offend.

But ghe ascetical practices (or not) of others are none of my business – a fact for which I am immeasurably grateful.

 

[Flopfoot]

puzzleannie:

I attempted to answer the question as it was written. the question was not “Why does not the Catholic Church still mandate fasting?” the question was “Why do we not fast?”. I said “we” not “you”. The rules were changed so that we might choose these disciplines, do them out of love not fear. If “we” do not do them, it is because we choose NOT to do them. Others may disagree with my answer. If you don’t want my opinion, please do not request it. I am amazed by how many people join an opinion forum for the express purpose of resenting and taking umbrage when someone else voices an opinion.

I know that the question was ‘why do we fast’. I realise that this calls for your opinion. I’ve got nothing against you having the opinion that ‘some Catholics don’t fast because they don’t want to embrace penitential practices out of love’. In fact you could have written it that way and it would not be insulting at all, and it’s a fair enough opinion to post. But either, you are of the opinion that we are not very good Catholics (“D+ Catholics”), or you don’t hold that opinion but chose to express things that way for emphasis. That’s the bit I found insulting. I know you said ‘we’ not ‘you’ but I felt that I was included in the ‘we’ since you seemed to be talking about Catholics in general, or Catholics who don’t fast in Advent. I don’t know if I’m a barely passing D+ Catholic, but even if I am I don’t like someone else to tell me that. (Someone may be of the opinion that I am ugly, but that doesn’t mean that it’s not an insult for them to tell me that). And I don’t like it when someone concludes that I am a D+ Catholic just because I don’t fast in Advent. I also don’t like the implication in your recent post (ok, I know this is not explicitly stated) that because someone (such as me) complains about an insult then their only reason for coming on the forum is to take offence at other’s opinions.
I see your posts a lot on these forums and in general I see that you are often right and fair and helpful but sometimes you could be a bit less harsh. Well, maybe that’s just your style and I’ll have to put up with it since I still want to read your posts. But I just thought I’d let you know when I felt insulted.