Theology Wednesday: Fasting, Almsgiving, and Prayer

Normally this post is Theology Thursday, but given the significance of today, I thought I'd do it a day early. Today is Ash Wednesday and as such, it is the beginning of the liturgical season of Lent. On the outside, it might seem like Lent is a super somber, funereal type of season -- especially given the fact that all most non-liturgical Christians know about it is that people get ashes on their foreheads at the beginning of it and usually give up something they really like.

Did you know the shape of a pretzel is meant to be symbolic of hands folded in prayer?

So what is Lent?

It is a season of the liturgical year which begins on Ash Wednesday and is the period leading up to Easter. Many people believe that Lent ends on Easter Sunday, but liturgically speaking it ends on Holy Thursday just prior to the celebration of the Mass of the Lord's Supper that evening. At that point, the very short liturgical season of the Triduum begins. Although traditionally Lent is said to be 40 days in length, it's actually a little bit more. The biggest reason that we often refer to the "40 days of Lent" is because it is a reference to the 40 days that Christ spent in the wilderness prior to the beginning of His ministry (Luke 4:1-15). It is also reflective of the 40 years that the Israelites spent wandering in the wilderness. We go through the wilderness of the "40" days of Lent to prepare our hearts and our lives for the promised land of heaven which became a reality for us at Easter.

Of course, the true nature of Lent goes deeper than just a period of 40 days, ashes on your forehead, or "giving up" things. It is, as the first graphic above states, a season of:

• Fasting and abstinence
• Almsgiving
• and Prayer

Fasting and Abstinence

"Because you know I'm all about that fish, 'bout that fish, no burgers..."

For Catholics, this encompasses a couple of things. First of all it has to do with the consumption of food and secondly, the sacrifices we make during this season.

In the first way it has to do with the tradition of fasting from food on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday and the abstinence from meat on these two days in addition to every Friday during Lent. On Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, the faithful are required to fast and abstain from meat. Fasting, in the Roman Catholic tradition, means that you eat one full meal and are allowed 2 smaller meals that together do not equal the full meal. As there are no explicit rules for what constitutes a "smaller meal," that is left up to the discretion of the individual. For me, that generally means a small snack if I need it. Fasting is only required of individuals who: are between the ages of 18-59, are in good health, and are not in need of their normal amount of food for some reason (a pregnant woman would be exempted owing to the needs of her unborn child and her health). Abstinence from meat is required on these two days in addition to every Friday during Lent. This requirement is enjoined upon those age 14 years and older. Abstinence from meat refers to refraining from eating the flesh of animals but this does not include fish as it is not considered "meat." There are a number of reasons for this which Catholic apologist Jimmy Akin does a great job of explaining if you're interested in the reasons behind why Catholics are allowed fish on days of abstinence.

Secondly, fasting and abstinence means sacrifice. This is where the idea of "giving up" things for Lent originates. When we give up something that we really enjoy -- be it food, drink, a leisure activity, computer time, eating out, watching TV, etc -- we are making a small sacrifice in imitation of the ultimate sacrifice that Jesus made for all mankind on the cross. We are remembering His suffering and death and in so doing, we understand in a greater way what St. Paul meant when he said, "For me, to live is Christ, to die is gain." (Philippians 1:21) When we sacrifice these little things, we die to ourselves and strengthen our faith in Christ. While we are not required to give up something, the Church strongly encourages us to do so for our benefit.

One of my favourite saints, Pope John Paul II, with one of my favourite devotions! Love you, Papa!

Some people elect to strengthen their faith by the addition of some kind of spiritual discipline. This may take the form of:

• additional prayer beyond what they normally do
• daily reading of scripture or some other spiritual reading (like the Catechism, a book on theology, or the writings of the saints and Early Church Fathers)
• daily Mass attendance
• spiritual journaling (or blogging)
• a weekly commitment to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation 

In addition, some people also choose to engage their time in a way that is more productive or that encompasses a particular spiritual virtue. I have known some people who do a deep cleaning, purging, and organization of their home (temperance) or try to get their finances in order (prudence), or who set themselves some kind of difficult task with the intention of completing it by the end of Lent (fortitude).


Almsgiving

Donating food to your local food pantry or during a special drive is a good way to practice almsgiving. It is also a great way to teach children about the importance of caring for the poor and needy.

The origins of almsgiving are from the earliest times. Almsgiving is, simply put, charity toward our fellow man. It may mean giving money, time or our talents to others. The reason we practice almsgiving toward others is for the simple reason that everything we have is a gift from God. During Lent, we focus intently on Christ's sacrifice on the cross. Of course, this is the ultimate gift from God -- the gift of our redemption from sin. Given this, it makes sense to put a special emphasis on almsgiving during Lent.


Prayer

"Therefore confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The fervent prayer of a righteous man is very powerful." - James 5:16

This one almost goes without saying. As Christians, we are called to prayer (just as we are almsgiving) as a way of life, but during this special season, when we are engaging in the disciplines of fasting and abstinence and sacrifice, it makes sense to also include prayer. Prayer strengthens us, helps us resist temptation to sin, and above all, it is how we enter into conversation with God. Since Lent is one of the two penitential liturgical seasons (Advent is the other one), it is a good time to prayerfully examine the state of our souls and receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation as well as pray that God will help us avoid falling into sin. There are also special prayer devotions which are well suited to the season of Lent like the Stations of the Cross, the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary, and the Divine Mercy Chaplet, and the Seven Sorrows of Mary. These devotions deepen our understanding of Christ's sacrifice and enrich our faith through this understanding.

So now that you know a little more about Lent, what's stopping you from celebrating it? 
If you already celebrate Lent, what are you planning to do this year to strengthen and enrich your faith?