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Pentecost

Pentecost Sunday

Read about the Bird of Paradise plant in relation to Pentecost

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How the Christmas Fast led to me to quit swearing Fasting and abstinence gives us an opportunity to set things right in our lives. The lead up to a big feast is more than just a time of organising our houses, what clothes we will wear and what gifts we will give. It is the time each of us should be reflecting on ourselves and considering what we need to change. Below is an anonymous testimony about one person’s transformation through fasting and abstinence. “I generally consider myself a good Christian. I go to Mass each Sunday, care for people around me and love my neighbour. From a young age, I swore. It was a habit especially when I was around friends or at work. I knew I could control my swearing, because in some contexts I did not swear. One Christmas fast I decided I would abstain from swearing. One of the older men at work got so excited he made me up “a cup of atonement” and each time I swore I had to put $1 in it. The money would eventually go to charity. Over the first few days that cup got very full. As the fast progressed, I noticed I was putting less money in the cup. However, the overall change was more transforming than that. I began to become more sensitive to when others swore and I recognised that generally they were doing it in moments of anger. I realised that swearing was shielding in me a deeper issue. It was masking my anger. By not swearing, I was required to face my anger head on and suddenly I was finding ways to temper it. I broke two habits! This is not intended to be a condemnation of people who swear. My mother, who never swore, had begged me for years to stop and I did not. Each person must investigate themselves and consider what is distancing them from the Lord. They must choose their time and commit to the change. But I assure you, it is transforming once you achieve it.” The Maronite Synod of 1736 required that in the lead up to Christmas, abstinence was required for the twelve days from 13th – 24th December. This meant abstaining from eating all meat, oil, wine and animal products (eggs, milk, cheese etc.). While this is no longer a requirement of the Church, it is one of the traditions we can all benefit from reinvigorating, especially in the lead up to great feasts such as Christmas. Traditionally fasting in the Maronite tradition comes before a great feast. It allows us to prepare ourselves spiritually for the feast. It is a wonderful example to our children. The tradition of fasting originates from very early times. So why fast? Fasting is not profitable unless it is accompanied obedience to Gods word. This becomes apparent in the Gospel of Matthew when Jesus was asked by the disciples of John “Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” Matthew 9:14. Our Eastern Fathers have written extensively on the importance of fasting. “Fasting is medicine.” St John Chrysostom declares in his beautiful homily on fasting. He continues: “Fasting is the change of every part of our life, because the sacrifice of the fast is not the abstinence but the distancing from sins.’ St John Chrysostom did not discourage fasting from food, but insisted that fasting from food must be accompanied with fasting from sins. Fasting is a spiritual discipline. So in the twelve days leading up to Christmas from 13 December let us consider fasting. It is an excellent time of year to challenge ourselves to give up such things as alcohol. With Christmas parties alcohol can be a contributor to bad judgement. Consider giving up sweets and meat in order to avoid the excess we may all consume at this time of year at Christmas parties. What a great discipline to teach our children so that they may understand the need of others. Most importantly let us also consider how we are going to prepare ourselves spiritually for Christmas. We may choose to partake in the Christmas Novena that starts on 15 December, commit to daily liturgy, say the rosary or assign a time for prayer each day. Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6 Link to article in the bio

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