The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1911-02-25
WHY WE FAST.

Ii you ask for the reasons
why we should, from time to time, be
called upon to observe special days of
fast while otherwise leading temper
ate life, / can adduce many that are
weighty and urgent, In the first place,
we fast in order to punish ourselves
for our sins. If we seriously consider
how often we have offended God, how
much the Savior has suffered for our
sakes in order to reconcile us with
His Heavenly Father and to sanctify
us, and how ungrateful we are in con-
tinuing to offend Him, then must we
indeed be filled with just indigna
ton against ourselves, and feel as if
we ought to inflict some self-punish-
ment to make reparation for our UNI
grateful behavior towards God. This
is the genuine proof that our sorrow
is real, and that we are in earnest
concerning our amendment. Nor is it
by any means superfuous to impose
such chastisement upon ourselves.
Sufferings are, once for all, the cOnse-
quences of sin; if we do not impose
them voluntarily, God must infiict
them upon us, be they sufferings and
misfortunes in this life or the pains of
purgatory in the next.
Fasting does not consist exclusively
in abstinence from food. Whatever
flatters our body or our senses, or wen
our caprices, is an enjoyment which
we frequently esteem more highly than
food or drink In all these we should
deny ourselves. Christ, it is true, did
censure the Pharisees for their abstin-
ence from food and drink, just as he
censured them for the scrupulous OBJ
servance of ceremonies, because there
by they sought the praise of men.
They imagined that by fasting, even
without change of heart, they would
necessarily appear pleasing in the
sight of God Hence the Savior tells
us not to parade our fasts before the
public nor go about with sad and
mournful air, that we may be ap-
plauded and admired by men on &C.
count of our austerities. Therefore he
reproves the Pharisees for their too
scrupulous observance of fast, while
at the same time, they disregarded
every duty of fraternal charity. Fast
ing while leading a sinful and wicked
life avails little. Christ has indeed
said: THAT which entereth by the
mouth does not defile man." and all
Christians repeat it after him; for ii
is not the quality or quantity of the
food by which we violate the fast that
defiles us. Food is, in itself, as limo
cent and harmless on a fast-day as on
any other; but it is the perverse mind
and will by which we deliberately
transgress the precept of the Church
and become guilty of disobedience to
ward her. The sin of our first parents
consisted in eating of the forbidden
fruit. Because this food was a for
hidden one, and because by eating Of
it they disobeyed God, they became
guilty of sin.
They who make light of the precep
of the Church concerning the fast give
evidence that, without positive pre-
cept, they would be still less Mindful
of the obligation of modification ant
self-denial. The appointment of a par
ticular time when to fast, and of thu
manner of fasting, has the further yer.
important object of teaching us how t
obey and to submit our will, which j
the cause of the sins we commit. HI
that is not accustomed to Occasional
self-denial, is exposed to every sin t
which, his natural inclinations ma,
prompt him; but he that has learne'
to obey the precepts of the Church vii
also have the strength and courage t
deny himself an indulgence forbiddel
by the law Of God, if at times tempte
ton or passion should invite him t
it. Every one may fast at his own dis
erection; but above all let him fast o
those days when the Church has con