What you need to know about fasting

Many Christian denominations, especially the mission churches, began fasting (Lent season) last Wednesday to last 40 days. This is done in commemoration of Jesus’ 40-day fasting when he was in the wilderness (Luke 4:1-13). Fasting is required of all Jesus’ followers (Mathew 6:16-18). Fasting is done to show that we have acknowledged that we are sinners, hence we are seeking God’s forgiveness.

It also strengthens believers and enables them to be guided by the Holy Spirit. In fasting, we do not need to show off, otherwise we can’t receive any reward from God (Mathew 6:1-8). Jesus, the founder of the Church, used parables while teaching, and did not elaborate many of the key Christian principles such as prayer, fasting, giving alms, baptism, repentance of sins, marriage, etc. He did not, for example, elaborate on how to do them, at what time, using which method, from where, using what materials, how many times, how long, using which language, what nullifies them, etc.
Jesus didn’t elaborate because he hoped to send the Holy Spirit to enlighten the believers. He also knew that since people were created in God’s image (Genesis 1:27).

They have the intelligence which can guide them to do things right. Does a sensible person, for example, need to be told to bathe, eat and drink responsibly? Common sense dictates that one has to do that. So, what matters is to do the act or perform the required ritual in a responsible and dignified way. The approaches you use may not matter much. In baptism, for example, the amount of water used does not matter since water is just a symbol (of cleansing).

Accordingly, the key Christian principles are performed differently by different Christian denominations. At the beginning of fasting, for example, Catholics are sprinkled with ash on the forehead. The use of ash was a method of repentance among the ancient Israelites. It is used to demonstrate that we were made from the soil and we shall go back to the soil after death.

Though some people who die are not buried as some of them are, for instance, eaten by animals, the fact is that as digestion takes place, the animal finally excretes, the excretion mixes with soil, hence man going back to the soil. So, as people who will go back to the soil, we need not be taken up by worldly desires - there is another life we should work for. We should fast without giving lame excuses. Let us not eat and drink from morning to evening. One can even fast for a week or more, depending on their health and the gravity of their sins, hence the use of common sense.

Fasting must be accompanied with repentance and giving alms to those who are less fortunate than ourselves. Repentance can be done as one is praying individually, or be done while praying as a community. Since people have a host of sins, it is better to first write them on a piece of paper (no matter the number of pages) so that as one is repenting, one mentions all the sins. Repenting publicly is dangerous as it can lead to loss of trust, hatred, enmity, or even being arrested by the authorities. Let us avoid doing evil at all times.
Prof Vincent Kayindu,
[email protected]