During
the Nativity Fast the Church encourages us to intensify our spiritual lives in
order to ready our souls and bodies for the Feast. We do this through fasting,
prayer, alms-giving, confession and increased attention given to
"preparing for His coming", to make sure we've done what we can to
make a "fit dwelling place for Him" in our hearts and lives.
Bishop Thomas reminds us that during the Fast it is
appropriate to:
"increase your prayer life, read more
scripture and spiritual books, especially lives of the saints. A little less
television, no anger, no gossiping, no laziness and let's try to avoid the
Christmas parties. If we prepare in this way, God will bless us and we will
find the Feast of the Nativity of our Lord to be far more spiritually rewarding
than ever before. May God help us to struggle courageously."
The Purpose of Fasting
The
purpose of fasting is to focus on the things that are above, the Kingdom of
God. It is a means of putting on virtue in reality, here and now. Through it we
are freed from dependence on worldly things. We fast faithfully and in secret,
not judging others, and not holding ourselves up as an example.
- Fasting in itself is not a means of pleasing
God. Fasting is not a punishment for our sins. Nor is fasting a means of
suffering and pain to be undertaken as some kind of atonement. Christ already
redeemed us on His Cross. Salvation is a gift from God that is not bought by
our hunger or thirst.
- We fast to be delivered from carnal passions
so that God’s gift of Salvation may bear fruit in us.
- We fast and turn our eyes toward God in His
Holy Church. Fasting and prayer go together.
- Fasting is not irrelevant. Fasting is not
obsolete, and it is not something for someone else. Fasting is from God, for
us, right here and right now.
- Most of all, we should not devour each other.
We ask God to “set a watch and keep the door of our lips.”
Fasting Periods
The
Nativity Fast is one of the four Canonical Fasting Seasons in the Church year.
This is a joyous fast in anticipation of the Nativity of Christ. That is the
reason it is less strict than other fasting periods. The fast is divided into
two periods.
November 15th through December 19th the
traditional fasting discipline (no meat, dairy, fish, wine, and oil) is
observed. There is dispensation given for wine and oil on Tuesdays and
Thursdays. Similarly, fish, wine, and oil are permitted on Saturdays and Sundays.
December 20th through the 24th
traditional fasting discipline (no meat, dairy, fish, wine, and oil) is
observed. There is dispensation given for wine and oil only on Saturday and
Sunday during this period.
When Not to Fast
Do not
fast:
- between December 25 and January 5 (even on
Wednesdays and Fridays);
- if you are pregnant or nursing a newborn;
- during serious illness;
- without prayer;
- without alms-giving;
- according to your own will without guidance
from your spiritual father.
Source: https://www.holycrossonline.org/nativity-fast
CONVERSATION