Fasting for Advent
From my brain
-- Fr. Athanasius Dresdow
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E-Mail from Father
- Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory forever!
- Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
- I pray that you are well! Since several of you have asked me about the fasting rules for Advent, I am passing along the rules that the Church has prescribed for us. As always, keep these to the best of your ability. If you are new to fasting, ease into it and don't try to keep everything strictly just yet. If you feel that you can keep the strictness of the fast, please do so. Whatever you do, at least do something and fast to the best of your ability, always remembering that the fast is lightened for those who are ill or pregnant or have to do heavy physical labor or are on a special diet prescribed by their doctor, in which case following this diet strictly serves the same purpose in our lives as fasting-it helps us to be disciplined and not controlled by food. The important thing is that we do the best we can not as an end in itself, but because fasting helps us to recognize our dependence on God, helps us to overcome the materialism and hedonism of our culture, and helps us to pray more and bring our lives and our wills more in union with God's will and life that He wants so much to share with us. As a general rule, we should eat only so much so that after getting up from the table, we feel like praying.
- The Advent (Nativity) Fast lasts from this coming Wednesday, November 15 through Sunday, December 24. As always, if you have any questions concerning what you should do in regards to fasting, prayer, and almsgiving (all three of which go together and should be practiced as our whole way of life), please talk to me. May God bless us all and grant us a spiritually productive and joyful Fast as we prepare for the joyous celebration of Christ's birth for our salvation.
- In Christ,
- +Fr. Athanasius
Fasting Standards of the Church for Advent
From November 15 through December 19
The traditional fasting discipline is observed on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays (no meat, poultry, eggs, dairy, fish, wine or oil). Wine and oil may be taken on Tuesdays and Thursdays (some also permit fish on Tuesday and Thursday). Fish, wine and oil may be taken on Saturdays and Sundays. For those of you who are sponsoring coffee hour during this time, please make a note of that.
We have been given a dispensation from fasting on Thanksgiving Day, since this traditional American holiday reminds us to always give thanks to God for all His good and wonderful gifts to us.
From December 20 through December 24
The traditional fasting discipline is observed Monday through Friday (no meat, poultry, eggs, dairy, fish, wine or oil), but wine and oil may be taken on Saturday and Sunday.
