But what great matter is this, if you who are but dust and a mere nothing, submit yourself to man for God’s sake, when I the Almighty, and the Most High, Who created all things out of nothing for thy sake, humbly subjected Myself to man. I became the most humble and the most abject of all men, that you might overcome your pride. — Saint Louis Marie de Montfort
Abba Isidore said, “If you fast regularly, do not be inflated with pride; if you think highly of yourself because of it, then you had better eat meat. It is better for a man to eat meat than to be inflated with pride and glorify himself.”
In order to preserve the mind and body in a perfect condition, abstinence from food is not alone sufficient: unless the other virtues of the mind as well are joined to it . . . And so humility must first be learned . . . anger should be controlled . . . vainglory should be despised, the disdainfulness of pride trampled under foot, and the shifting and wandering thoughts of the mind restrained by continual recollection of God. [John Cassian, The Training of a Monk and the Eight Deadly Sins, Of the Spirit of Gluttony. (The Book of Fasts and Abstinence) Chapter X]
We are entering the season of Lent. We are called to fasting and prayer. And, yet, even here it is all too easy for the sin of our flesh to raise its head. The very fasting that can serve to remind us that we are needy people, can come back and smack us with pride.
There is a reason that we are told to do our fasting in secret. We have all met people during Lent who are all too happy to tell us how their fast is going, and how they read the labels on food to make sure that no forbidden milk solids sneak into their food, etc. Inevitably many of them find a way to ask us how our fast is going. Inevitably their question is phrased in such a way that, if you are not keeping the fast in its strictest sense, you are forced to confess your lacks to a person who is not even you spiritual counselor.
This is pride raising its head. The ability to boast about keeping the fast, while you appear to be groaning about the difficulty of it, is but a looking for approval and a pat on the back. That is problematic enough, though at least understandable. We all desire some pats on the back. However, not understandable is the person who questions someone else about their fast. That is pure pride, seeking to compare itself against others so that one might stand out in comparison. It is the sin of the pharisee against the publican. “Thank God that I am not like that man,” we say in our pride.
This Lent, let us keep not simply the food fast. Let us keep another fast. Let us commit ourselves to fasting from speaking about fasting. Let us promise ourselves that we will neither speak about our fast nor question others in any way about their fast. As Jesus said, let us so maintain our personal attitude and personal cleanliness in such a way that no one will be able to tell if we have been fasting or not.
In other words, let us fight the sin of pride, which is so easily present in me, by fasting from inappropriate words concerning fasting.
People just won’t stop focusing on food. I propose the following reply to someone who asks how your lenten fast is going: “Fine. How’s your fast from marital relations going?” Maybe that’ll teach ’em.
We have all met people during Lent who are all too happy to tell us how their fast is going, and how they read the labels on food to make sure that no forbidden milk solids sneak into their food, etc.
Dairy products are taboo for Lent? Lent is Strict Vegan?
And don’t forget the “Can You Top This” factor. When I was in catechism, one of our lay catechists got the name “Fast Eddie” for his claim that Fasting meant “No Food No Water at all” over the three days of Easter Triudium. A little consultation, and I found this was WAY beyond the actual fasting requirements. Yet he seemed to present it as the requirement.
Among the Orthodox, the fast is indeed supposed to be Vegan. No animal products, and no olive oil. The no olive oil is found in the Book of Daniel. It is part of Daniel’s fast. One explanation of it is that we are returning to the diet of Paradise. Just do not ask how many Orthodox around the world keep the fast in all its strictness.
Lent is strict vegan + avoiding oil and alcohol during the week, as a rough summary. There are two feast days that bump up to fish this year, I believe.
There are actually more than two, however, I do not have all the fish & wine fasting days memorized. Frankly, (blushes with embarrassment) I consult the online calendar of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese.
Except it’s not strictly vegan, because shellfish is allowed. So there’s that. But I hate talking about fasting, so forget I mentioned it. 🙂
Thank you, Father. This reminds me of our encounter with a “cradle Orthodox” person who told a group of us converts, “I wish you all would just shut up about fasting and just do it.”