Did you know that St Francis of Assisi prescribed fasting from the Feast of All Saints until Christmas, which means about the time of Advent? This prescription was included in both the Earlier Rule of 1221 (a more scriptural and biblical version of Francis’ Rule of Life that was not approved by the Pope) and the Later Rule of 1223 (a legal and canonical version that was approved by Pope Honorius III on 29 Nov).
Let me cite here the two passages, which come from the heart of St Francis, and see what we can take to heart for our spiritual journeying.
Earlier Rule III:11-13 “Let all the brothers fast from the feast of All Saints until the Nativity, and from the Epiphany, when our Lord Jesus Christ began to fast, until Easter. However, at other times, according to this life, let them not be bound to fast except on Fridays. In accordance with the Gospel, it may be lawful for them to eat of all the food that is placed before them.”
Later Rule III:5-14 “Let them fast from the feast of All Saints until the Lord’s Nativity. May those be blessed by the Lord who fast voluntarily during that holy Lent that begins at the Epiphany and lasts during the forty days which our Lord consecrated by His own fast; but those who do not wish to keep it will not be obliged. Let them fast, however, during the other [Lent] until the Lord’s Resurrection. At other times they may not be bound to fast except on Fridays. During a time of obvious need, however, the brothers may not be bound by corporal fast.
I counsel, admonish and exhort my brothers in the Lord Jesus Christ not to quarrel or argue or judge others when they go about in the world, but let them be meek, peaceful, modest, gentle, and humble, speaking courteously to everyone, as is becoming… According to the holy Gospel, let them eat whatever food is set before them.”
As we can see, for Francis, fasting was an obligatory practice for both the season of Lent and the season of Advent. However, this was the practice of the Church at that time, as was fasting on Fridays. The optional (“not obliged”) fast was the fast beginning on Epiphany (6 Jan).
For Francis, there were two kinds of fasts: the fast of sorrow and the fast of joy. A fast of sorrow is when food that is delightful for us is sacrificed as an act of penance for sins committed. A fast of joy is when the heart is flooded with such spiritual delights that time at table is punishment and because of this, tendency to sin is diminished. For this reason, it is wonderful to fast because, by this wondrous act of devotion, fasting restores the spirit.
To put it simply, the fast of sorrow deals with our sins that must be expiated, while the fast of joy deals with strengthening ourselves to avoid future sins. It is like training and disciplining the will to choose the good and avoid the bad.
For Francis, fasting was more than bodily fasting. He wanted his friars to fast outwardly and inwardly. Through bodily fasting, we are invited to be kinder and more loving. In the Later Rule, immediately following the prescript on bodily fasting, Francis exhorts the friars not to quarrel or argue, to be meek and gentle and speak courteously. This is indeed an integrated and harmonious approach to fasting and the gradual growth to a life teeming with virtues.
Included in this fasting for his friars was eating what was set before them. Friars are mendicants, in other words, friars are beggars, and beggars can’t be choosers. So, we eat what is given to us.
St Francis only imposed the fasting periods that were enforced by the Church, that is, during the periods of Lent and Advent. But he proposed one more as optional and devotional from the period of Epiphany, which is in the spirit of the fast of joy. The rest of the year is time for friars to be with people, working and, when work does not provide enough, begging for their daily needs.
So, when the friars are not fasting from food, they are fasting from “unkind” behaviour as friars are to be meek and humble in the presence of all they serve, and bring about the Kingdom of Love as St Francis wanted his friars to do.
May Francis’ spirit of fasting, especially for the season of Advent, inspire us to consider the holistic manner of living out our spiritual lives, just as he did in joyful freedom!
Friar Derrick Yap OFM
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