www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Faith & Theology An odd question about fasting

In reading about fasting in the Eastern Catholic and Orthodox traditions that abstaining from meat and dairy products is one part of the fast.

So my question is this ... What if you already abstain from meat, dairy and all animal products as a regular matter of course?

Would you then, during the fasts of the Church, be required or encouraged to fast or abstain from something else?

I know this is rather strange but it occurred to me while reading this in the thread about the Nativity Fast:

Since I am a strict vegetarian I don't eat meat, dairy, eggs or any other product derived from animals. Which would seem to make the fast almost too "easy" and not much of a sacrifice at all since I would simply be eating those foods which I already eat.

Thank you in advance for your thoughts.

Good question. I believe this question can only be answered by your spiritual director.

Obviously I intend to ask my priest - but as he is undergoing cancer treatment I hesistate to bother him with something so trivial at this time.

I was simply interested in the opinions of others. Which is why I asked it here rather than only asking my priest.

It isn't my place to offer advice, but you asked for a suggestion Maybe help out the community/ do acts of charity above what you already do. Maybe visit the sick. Do something extra. On that sort of diet you already use you can't afford to take anything out of it.. I'm not knocking the vegatarian diet as I obviously follow it myself a great deal of the time.

Carole,
If you watch tv, try fasting from that, or limit your viewing. When I reduce the amount of tv I watch, I'm amazed how my outlook on life improves. Maybe you could try reading more spiritual books and praying more in the time saved.
- Wolfgang

I have a similar "problem" to Carole. I am not a vegetarian, but I eat as little meat as possible. It wanders onto my plate perhaps once or twice a week and in small quantity. So I'm not giving up much, if anything, to obey a traditional fast. I don't like a lot of the foods we give up anyway.

One year, a priest friend (a very astute fellow I must say) suggested that I "give up" any sort of mean behavior toward my husband during the upcoming fast. Now, that may sound odd, but think about all the times that we are mean to those we love, even in passing. It was a charity-begins-at-home type suggestion. Even though my hubby and I have been happily married for 14 years, showing love and respect to those nearest to us is fine endeavor to add to your fasting and prayer. Besides, of the two of us, he is the more cheerful and I am a bit of a grouch. But after a couple of days, my hubby asked "Why ARE you being so nice to me? What ARE you up to? You're making me nervous!" Ah, well. I tried!

I think fasting is a great and time honored tradition - but don't forget to use it to enhance your spiritual life. This is a perfect time of year to take a day off in peaceful prayer, perhaps to visit a monastery that accepts visitors and perhaps to be charitable towards the holy brothers or sisters there.

I have always been very fond of visiting the Trappists on Christmas Eve. My husband and I were at one of their monasteries talking to one of the monks who greets visitors and an ice cream truck pulled up. The monk, an elderly priest, was so overjoyed at the sight - he looked like a little kid as he toddled off for None. A day off from their labors to spend in thankful prayer - and a nice bowl of ice cream with dinner, courtesy of Father Abbott, as he gleefully pointed out as he left us - was the monks' Christmas present!

Would that we could all be a little more like monks. The monks I've met have always been spiritually brilliant - and humble - so filled with joy over the good things that the rest of us take for granted.