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Those Were the Days of Giants! Fasting and Abstinence in Advent and Lent
Archdiocese of Washington ^ | December 14, 2011 | Msgr. Charles Pope

Posted on 12/14/2011 2:09:09 PM PST by Salvation

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To: Romulus

I look at Christ’s coming three ways, at Advent, we remember his first coming as a baby, we look forward to with great hope at his third return at the end of the age, and the real second coming, each day of our lives when he reveals his great love and mercy for us.


21 posted on 12/14/2011 3:04:41 PM PST by Biggirl ("Jesus talked to us as individuals"-Jim Vicevich/Thanks JimV!)
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To: Salvation

Oh, I could do it. I could control my hunger and forgo food from midnight the night before until mass was concluded and I could get home. And I would lose consciousness from low blood sugar sometime around 9 a.m. Been there and done that.


22 posted on 12/14/2011 3:05:39 PM PST by ottbmare (off-the-track Thoroughbred mare)
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To: Salvation

Yes, my family do not eat meat on Fridays, not just Lent and Advent but all year. We do the two meal fast on Christmas Eve and Ash Wednesday.


23 posted on 12/14/2011 3:15:18 PM PST by kalee (The offenses we give, we write in the dust; Those we take, we engrave in marble. J Huett 1658)
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To: Salvation

Of course we can do it. Eastern Orthodoxy still fasts in both Advent and Great Lent. Yes, I have to do protein shakes to regulate my blood sugar while fasting.


24 posted on 12/14/2011 3:19:34 PM PST by firebasecody (Orthodoxy, proclaiming the Truth since AD 33)
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To: Biggirl

no it wasn’t


25 posted on 12/14/2011 3:27:10 PM PST by mamelukesabre (.)
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To: Biggirl
That's nice, but what I've described to you is the way the Church thinks, not some fanciful notion of my own invention.
26 posted on 12/14/2011 3:31:13 PM PST by Romulus (The Traditional Latin Mass is the real Youth Mass)
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To: mamelukesabre

Myth? Name one thing the average person from, say - 300 years ago - would do on a almost daily basis that required the complete situational awareness, constant number of decisions and sheer stress as a one hour commute.

And that’s just the start of the day.


27 posted on 12/14/2011 3:49:34 PM PST by Psycho_Bunny ("Fair share" are the last two words I hear before I stop taking someone seriously.)
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To: Romulus

I have no doubt that it is the Church’s position, and I have no problem with, BUT what I say is a personal reflection.


28 posted on 12/14/2011 4:22:23 PM PST by Biggirl ("Jesus talked to us as individuals"-Jim Vicevich/Thanks JimV!)
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To: Salvation
Fasting and/or abstinence:
I find that NOT BEING ALLOWED to eat/drink when I want is too hard. I find it MUCH EASIER to go to Mass every day, say a rosary every day, walk in the wind, rain and cold, shovel snow in a blizzard, walk on nails....almost ANYTHING besides deprive my poor widdle tummy of anything at anytime. If my tummy cries out with the MEREST whimper of food please I HAVE to answer it. Pathetic, but true.
29 posted on 12/14/2011 5:03:32 PM PST by cloudmountain
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To: Psycho_Bunny

You are a spoiled brat. You have no idea how easy you have it.


30 posted on 12/14/2011 7:47:10 PM PST by mamelukesabre (.)
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To: Romulus

Much better question!


31 posted on 12/14/2011 8:55:28 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: ottbmare; Judith Anne; firebasecody

There are medical reasons, and I’m sure God understands that.


32 posted on 12/14/2011 8:58:05 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: Psycho_Bunny
Name one thing the average person from, say - 300 years ago - would do on a almost daily basis that required the complete situational awareness, constant number of decisions and sheer stress as a one hour commute.

You should try operating the looms in an old New England woolen mill. A foreman stands behind you urging you and your co-workers to ever greater speed while you try to avoid losing a limb in the machine.


33 posted on 12/14/2011 10:06:19 PM PST by Straight Vermonter (Posting from deep behind the Maple Curtain)
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To: Salvation

I’m sure He does, too. I just miss fasting, it was an exercise that did me good.


34 posted on 12/14/2011 10:43:07 PM PST by Judith Anne (For rhe sake of His sorrowful passion, have mercy on us, and on the whole world.)
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To: Judith Anne

Maybe I was questioning the whys of doing fasting during Advent, when this Advent 2011, the penence/fasting was dealing with a tooth that has died on me, with all the pain and abcese that goes with it, plus dealing with being fearful of dentists because of past bad experinces and having seen a new dentist who is helping me ease back in getting the dental medical help I need. This new dentist was very good yesterday.

Now that what took place is behind me, I can be able to focus on really getting ready for the Lord’s coming.


35 posted on 12/15/2011 4:27:51 AM PST by Biggirl ("Jesus talked to us as individuals"-Jim Vicevich/Thanks JimV!)
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To: Biggirl

God bless you FRiend, with a wonderfilled Advent.


36 posted on 12/15/2011 4:37:16 AM PST by Judith Anne (For rhe sake of His sorrowful passion, have mercy on us, and on the whole world.)
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To: Judith Anne

Thank-you!

May this Advent be blessed for you too! :)=^..^=


37 posted on 12/15/2011 4:41:51 AM PST by Biggirl ("Jesus talked to us as individuals"-Jim Vicevich/Thanks JimV!)
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To: Salvation

Excellent post. I’ve never heard of fasting and abstaining during Advent. To me, it’s counterintuitive and so even after hearing about it for the first time this year, I’m not fasting or abstaining BUT I’m adding Christ-centered things in. I’m so busy anymore hence why I’m not FR as much. My time is so premium but I became a volunteer because God does give the time back.


38 posted on 12/15/2011 11:08:28 AM PST by cyborg (All grannies, All the time.)
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To: All

Prayer and fasting is crucial to our faith as JESUS always prayed and fasted. As HE mentions the power of it here:

MATTHEW 17:14-21
17:14 And when they were come to the multitude, there came to him a certain man, kneeling down to him, and saying,

17:15 Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water.

17:16 And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him.

17:17 Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me.

17:18 And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour.

17:19 Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?

17:20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

17:21 Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.

Imagine to cast out demons and our sins ( the mountain), we need to pray and fast. It brings discipline and makes one very spiritually in tune. Very powerful.

Something GOD has me do quite often throughout each year. It makes us very powerful, loving, and aware.

PRAISE JESUS!

Jesus4life


39 posted on 01/07/2012 2:09:01 AM PST by jesus4life
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