Fasting is an important part of Christian life. All throughout history, the people of God have fasted to make reparation for sins and to make offerings to God, especially during penitential seasons and on Fridays throughout the year. To understand why, it’s helpful to look to the words and witness of our Lord Jesus Christ in the Gospels. When Jesus is asked by a group of Pharisees about fasting, he responds: “You cannot make wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them, can you? The days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days.”
Men, we are in those days.
Fasting may be more important now than ever, especially in the Western world, during a time of indulgence and comfort. Many wise and holy men have remarked throughout history that it is harder to pray on a full stomach because we are already satisfied. Abstaining from food can stimulate a deeper hunger: searching after God for the nourishment we need more than anything else.
Jesus did not ask us to do what he did not do himself. He fasted for forty days and forty nights in the desert before he began his public ministry.
Fasting, like other forms of asceticism, breaks us down in order to open us up to God, enabling our minds to focus more easily on spiritual things. It should not be something we talk about, or lead to a puffed-up chest so much as a bowed-down head in prayer. Do your best to keep your fasts and other forms of asceticism to yourself throughout Exodus 90, and rely on the men of your fraternity for encouragement and support.
Remember, all asceticism is but a means to a much greater end: love of God and love of neighbor. If we eat less food and refrain from costly beverages, we can focus on feeding those who go without as a way of coming closer to Christ in the poor.
A few practical remarks on fasting:
For married men, consider helping your wife with meatless meals on Wednesdays and Fridays, using the great recipes we’ve learned throughout the years. If you’ve got a recipe to share, reach out to our support team at [email protected].
When (not if) you or your wife forgets about a meatless meal on Wednesday or Friday, it’s an opportunity for humility and better communication. Eat what’s set before you with gratitude and connect about it at a later time.
For men with health conditions for which fasting can cause complications, obviously follow the recommendations of your doctor and communicate your situation with your anchor and fraternity as you see fit. This is also true for other disciplines.
Most men have a few pounds to lose, and many do during Exodus 90, but that’s not the reason for the journey. Additionally, for men on the lighter side, it’s important to get the nutrition you need to function for your vocation. If you need to modify the fasting for your unique situation, by all means, use prudence and do so, and communicate that with your anchor and fraternity as well.
Lastly, Exodus 90 is crafted for men 18 and older. We recommend the following resources, which are mentorship-based and designed for the formation of young men including, but not limited to: Fraternus , Knights Templar , and the Troops of Saint George.
Fasting is a powerful weapon in the arsenal of a Christian man. Throughout Exodus 90, let’s keep our fasts intentional and pray for the men of Exodus so that God may deliver us into greater personal freedom.