This past Sunday, in the Western Orthodox Calendar, was Quinquagesima Sunday. This was the third of three pre-Lenten Sundays with Septuagesima and Sexagesima Sundays respectively. The Wednesday following Quinquagesima Sunday is Ash Wednesday, the “Head of the Fast”. On Ash Wednesday the faithful are marked with ashes on their forehead as a gesture and preparation for the season of repentance.Throughout the Great Fast abstinence is observed everyday. Fasting, proper, is observed from Sunday evening until Friday afternoon each week. During the Sacred Triduum, the last three days of Lent, a stricter fast is observed as we shall not eat until after the Vespers service. The Lenten abstinence continues until the morning of Pascha (practically this occurs around 2 or 3 a.m. following the Midnight Paschal Divine Liturgy).

Abstinence is the avoidance of certain foods and drink. Such being, all flesh-meat, eggs, and dairy products. Flesh-meat refers to mammals, birds and land roaming animals. These include lard, meat broths and all meat by-products. By diary products, of course, is referred animal milk, cheese, butter, ice cream and such. Western Rite Orthodox, unlike our Eastern Rite brethren, allow fish, most seafoods, wine and oil. Abstinence refers to an avoidance of certain foods. Fasting is the not eating of even those foods that are permitted. Since the new day in the Church begins at sunset abstinence is calculated from sunset. Fasting — for the laity — begins at midnight until the Nineth hours (3 p.m.). For monastics, fasting begins following Complines until the Nineth hour. While Saturday and Sundays are abstinent days there is no fasting on these days.

Continence refers to a person’s self-control of body, thoughts and behaviors. Continence is another aspect of Orthodox ascetic praxis that goes beyond what we place into our mouths and stomachs. It refers to the quality of the energy that emanates from an Orthodox Christian. As our Lord said, “What goes into a man’s mouth does not make him ‘unclean,’ but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him ‘unclean.’” (Matt. 15:11). Therefore, examples of continence is the abstinence of sexual relations by married Orthodox couples, to avoid such negative habits like alcohol and tobacco consumption, to avoid behaviors or habits of time that detracts us from prayer and contemplation, such as avoiding television watching, listening to secular music and such that keeps us from Christ. We may include continence of thought, of speech, and how we treat others.

The purpose of the Orthodox Fasting, in both the Western & Eastern Orthodox Churches, aims at helping the soul regain control over the body, for the nous (mind) to overcome its slavery to sense gratification. Relative success gives way to being capable of the nous gaining control the traffic of thoughts that pass into our minds. Not every random thought is useful while some are harmful. When thoughts are tamed and controlled the mind may begin to experience some degree of peace, the soul takes its place in the heart, the eyes see anew, the ears hears anew and one’s perception –if in an internal atmosphere of virtue– is transformed. All of this as a means towards a deeper relationship with Christ and a healthier relationship with those around us.

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