Traditional Rule of Fasting and Abstinence

As we begin Lent a friend has forwarded to me, as part of the answer to another friend's enquiry, the traditional rules on Fasting and Abstinence as well as the current ones. They are taken from the website of the SSPX in the US and can be read at http://sspx.org/en/rules-fast-and-abstinence

Almost at the same time yet another friend sent me from the same website the following comments from Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre on the same subject: http://sspx.org/en/archbishop-lefebvre-on-fasting-and-abstinence-1982

A while ago an Oratorian friend made the good point that dietary practices have changed with the times. In an age of central heating and better domestic insulation and similar conveniences, together with far less in the way of demanding physical work, we eat less because we no longer need to ingest so much fuel to keep warm. Add to that our concern to be healthy, to diet and to lose weight, and we end up eating normally what was formerly seen as being a fasting meal.The age of three substantial cooked meals a day, not untypical a century ago, would seem like gross over-indulgence to many today. Even where it survives in a modified form - such as an Oxford college - it is there to cater to and for young people burning up calories on the river or sports field.

Whilist thinking of how to observe Lent last Momday Peter Kwasniewski at New Liturgical Movement had a good post which is well worth looking at and entitled Things That Remit Venial Sins — The Traditional Liturgy Is Full of Them

Lenten plans

I recently heard a sermon in which the visiting priest, from Opus Dei, challenged his hearers to make this the "best Lent yet." I always hope to do that, and took his idea as a pointer to what to aim for.

Last year I said I hoped or, indeed, intended to read in Lent some of the thought and spirituality of St Teresa of Avila - and failed to do so at all. Which, of course, told me something about myself. Last night, when we were having our Shrove Tuesday dinner, the Brothers of the Oratory decided amongst ourselves to read The Interior Castle as our Lenten book. So maybe this year St Teresa will get another chance to influence my formation. It is many years since I read The Interior Castle, so it will be a case of reacquainting myself with the text.

I have some other books in my sights for reading this Lent - theology merging with history rather than spirituality. I tend to use the former rather like layng down individual paving stones in the garden of my soul and letting the flowers of spirituality grow up around them - now there's a clever image I tell myself in a lack of humility...

Continuing the metaphor, I have marked down certain areas of my personality for some spiritual weeding and pruning - and I realise it is a pretty overgrown garden I am dealing with.

I think I have come up with a reasonably practicable regime to enable me to fast or abstain - and when that has worked in the past it has usually brought both spiritual and physical benefits - so losing some weight may well be an additional benefit.

A suitable restrained and spiritually profitable Lent to you all.

Lenten array - a further observation

It occurred to me last night that in my researches on the Lenten array for my posts Passiontide veils and Lenten array and Vexilla regis prodeunt no-one appeared to make the point, which indeed had not fully dropped as a penny in my failing wits until then, that it is not just, as is argued, that the Lenten array is ashen in colour, but rather than unbleached linen is of such a texture and hue as to be reminiscent of sackcloth and of ashes, the ancient symbols of repentence. Thus it is not just a case of forswearing the use of silken hangings for the altar but of the church as a building as well as a community repenting in sackcloth and ashes during Lent and Passiontide.

The Lenten array at the Catholic church of St Birinus Dorchester on Thames

Image:Lawrence Lew on Flickr

Once the thought came to my mind I realised that I do not think I have seen the point made in print - though it doubtless has been - so I thought I would share it with anyone who might be interested.