Documente Academic
Documente Profesional
Documente Cultură
November 9th is the Feast of the Dedication of the Basilica of Saint John Lateran
in Rome. This is actually a sad day for Us, because this is Our basilica as Bishop of
Rome. For a thousand years from the end of the persecutions to the Protestant Revolt the
Popes lives in the Lateran Palace with some notable exceptions in history. One of these
is called in history the Babylonian Captivity, when for seventy years the Popes lived in
Avignon in France rather at home in Rome. Today We live in exile in the New World,
which has only been visited by one Pope prior to his election. Cardinal Pacelli visited
prior to his election as Pope Pius XII in his function as Secretary of State of the Vatican
City State.
And Jesus said to them: Can the children of the bridegroom mourn, as long as
the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be
taken away from them, and then they shall fast. (Matthew 9:15) The Bridegroom is
away and the Church is at the end of the worst crisis in history. And so we should fast
and pray for an end to the Great Apostasy.
Advent
On November 30th we begin the Ecclesiastical Year on the First Sunday of
Advent. For many centuries Advent was a time of obligatory fasting similar to Lent as a
preparation for Christmas. The law of fast for Advent has been dropped over a century
ago, but Advent remains a time of penitential preparation for Christmas. We should
observe it in such a manner. In fact, there is a lesson in this for us. In the United States
the celebration of Christmas begins on the day after Thanksgiving and ends on Christmas.
After Christmas becomes a time of mourning, when it should be a time of celebration.
This inverted way of living leads to many problems in people's lives. By preparing by
fasting, penance and prayer, when we arrive at the feast we are prepared to celebrate with
the Church. Let us put off the Christmas decorations until after First Vespers on
Christmas Eve and then leave them up throughout the Christmas season.
Fasting on Saturdays
Saint Alphonsus among others recommends the practice of fasting on Saturdays
in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This is another practice to consider, if duty will
allow.
can do so, meaning, that if any one is prevented from doing so on account of ill health, at
least on Saturday, he may content himself with one dish, make a common fast, or at least
abstain from fruits or other agreeable food. It is necessary on Saturday to offer special
devotions to our Lady, to receive communion, or, at least, hear mass, visit some image of
the Virgin, wear hair-cloth, and the like. And at least on the vigils of the seven feasts of
Mary, let her servants endeavor to offer this fasting on bread, or in any other manner they
are able.
Conclusion
Speaking of some Devils, Jesus tells us: But this kind is not cast out but by
prayer and fasting. (Matthew 17:20) And Saint Paul reminds us: For our wrestling is
not against flesh and blood; but against principalities and power, against the rulers of the
world of this darkness, against the spirits of wickedness in the high places.) (Ephesians
6:12) Our fight is not against other people, but against The Enemy of our souls, the
Devil. And so let us arm ourselves in this fight. Let us look at our lives and adopt some
form of voluntary penance in addition to what is required by Church Law.
To demonstrate how the Church Law on fasting has eased over the last few
centuries, We have reproduced an article from The Catholic Encyclopedia below. To
recommend a bit more penance is not out of order. Some might ask why We do not
instead amend the law and make it stronger. We know that these concessions came
about, because of the weakness of people, a weakness that remains until today. Therefore
We recommend voluntary additions to the minimums required by the Church by those
who are able and in a manner that will preserve their health so they can discharge their
duties to God, their fellow man and themselves.
during Lent, was enjoined (Thomassin, Trait des jenes de l'glise, II, vii). Furthermore,
during Holy Week the fare consisted of bread, salt, herbs, and water (Laymann,
Theologia Moralis, Tr. VIII; De observatione jejuniorum, i). Finally, this meal was not
allowed until sunset. St. Ambrose (De Elia et jejunio, sermo vii, in Psalm CXVIII), St.
Chrysostom (Homil. iv in Genesim), St. Basil (Oratio i, De jejunio) furnish unequivocal
testimony concerning the three characteristics of the black fast. The keynote of their
teaching is sounded by St. Bernard (Sermo. iii, no. 1, De Quadragesima), when he says
"hitherto we have fasted only until none" (3 p.m.) "whereas, now" (during Lent) "kings
and princes, clergy and laity, rich and poor will fast until evening". It is quite certain that
the days of Lent (Muller, Theologia Moralis, II, Lib. II, Tr. ii, sect. 165, no. 11) as well as
those preceding ordination were marked by the black fast. This regime continued until the
tenth century when the custom of taking the only meal of the day at three o'clock was
introduced (Thomassin, loc. cit.). In the fourteenth century the hour of taking this meal
was changed to noon-day (Muller, loc. cit.). Shortly afterwards the practice of taking a
collation in the evening began to gain ground (Thomassin, op. cit., II, xi). Finally, the
custom of taking a crust of bread and some coffee in the morning was introduced in the
early part of the nineteenth century. During the past fifty years, owing to ever changing
circumstances of time and place, the Church has gradually relaxed the severity of
penitential requirements, so that now little more than a vestige of former rigour obtains.