www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Faith & Theology Gluttony??

I was not thinking specifically of the term "prelest" but, yes, that is included.

Obedience to a spiritual father is important, but obedience must be measured against Tradition. One cannot claim "obedience" as justification for doing something wrong. If a spiritual father ordered the monk in his charge to jump off a cliff to his death the monk would be right in his refusal to jump. Though not as drastic, a spiritual father who ordered excessive fasting that resulted in long-lasting health problems is off the mark and should be ignored (and better spiritual advice sought elsewhere).

I will note that most spiritual fathers and mothers are not of the type to demand that those in their spiritual care do things that are wrong. Too often the problem is reversed. That is, the spiritual seeker ignores the wisdom of the elder and decides that his own ideas are worthy and those of his elder unworthy.

When making a determination about what constitutes gluttony, is it possible that there is a usefulness in comparing the expectations of various cultures, various social classes within a given culture, or even different eras within a given culture?

I wonder just how many 21st century Westerners, for example, can be guilty of gluttony when compared with wealthy Westerners of, say, the Downton Abbey era, with their daily full breakfasts, dinners, teas, and 8 course suppers of the finest foods with deserts and other post-prandial delights.

Go back a few centuries earlier to the double-digit course feasts repeated over the course of days of popes, bishops, kings, and aristocrats and ask yourself if, in light of the norms of days gone by, anyone who decides to eat a baconator cheeseburger just because he likes the taste, or who helps himself to an extra burrito at Taco Bell can really ever be guilty of gluttony.

I have to think it's probably true that most of us reading this discussion board wouldn't be capable of gluttony in the dining rooms and banquet halls of bygone days within our own Western culture. Most of us, I suspect, would have to throw in the towel just as everyone else was getting started. Watching a British period drama on PBS is quite enough to squelch any scruples one might have about going out for an ice cream cone on a fine Summer's day just because.

Ok lets back up. Laymen and Monastics are bad comparisons but there is a base line. The Fasting Rubrics of the Orthodox Church (from the Lenten Triodion pg 35) as
practiced since at least the Council of Nicaea in 325.

These are the rules for everyone, the target. When one falls short of the
target and misses the mark ( amartia, the Greek word for sin) no matter how
well justified, it should be confessed.

Confession is not a time to name the justifications for missing the mark, nor to
list our spiritual accomplishments, but to simply acknowledge in what ways we
have fallen short. Humility tells us, no matter how hard we try, we cannot be
perfect in this. We all make the sign of the cross and do what we can do – our
efforts in synergy with God's grace.

The holy fathers knew that it was God's holy will that all Christians be of one
mind agreeing in all things. Therefore, they established a rule of fasting that
was to be a norm and standard for all. This rule guided the Christians in
their fasting while at the same time it united the faithful (community) to one
another through obedience to a commonly received discipline.

Adherence to a common rule and discipline helped the faithful to avoid the
pitfalls of going off on their own in pride. One need only use his imagination
to see what chaos would exist in our community life if the Church had not given
us the common rule. One might be fasting from everything but vegetables, while
another might make himself a rule to fast from meat alone, and yet another eat
only whole grain.

And would there not be great chaos and confusion when the faithful gathered for
a common meal (which is a necessity in order to grow a community) only to
discover that in reality they did not have a life in common.

So the fathers gave us a common rule so that we might be united one with another
in our efforts. This is that rule as published in English in the Lenten
Triodion translated by Mother Maria of the Monastery of the Veil, and Bp
Kallistos.

During the week between the Sunday of the Publican and Pharisee and the Sunday
of the Prodigal Son, there is a general dispensation from all fasting. Meat and
animal products may be eaten even on Wednesday and Friday.

(1) In the following week, often termed the `Week of Carnival", the usual fast [
no animal products or olive oil ] is kept on Wednesday and Friday. Otherwise
there is no special fasting.

(2) In the Week before Lent, meat is forbidden, but eggs, cheese and other dairy
products [and even fish] may be eaten on all days, including Wednesday and
Friday.

(3) On weekdays (Monday through Friday) during the seven weeks of Lent, there
are restrictions both on the number of meals taken, and on the types of food
permitted;

(4) On weekdays of the First Week [Clean Week], fasting is particularly severe.

According to the strict observance, in the course of the five initial days of
Lent, only two meals are eaten, one on Wednesday and the other on Friday, in
both cases after the Liturgy of the Presanctified.

a) On the other three days [ Mon, Tue, Thur], those who have the strength are
encouraged to keep an absolute fast [no food]; those for whom this proves
impracticable [not capable of being carried out] may eat on Tuesday and Thursday
(but not, if at all possible, on Monday);

and in that case (of eating something) it is eaten in the evening after the hour
of Vespers (~3 pm) when it is permissible to take bread and water, or perhaps
tea or fruit juice, but not a cooked meal.

It should be added at once that in common practice these rules are commonly
relaxed (but still confessed as having fallen short).

b) At the meals (on Wednesday and Friday of the First Week) xerophagy is
prescribed.

Literally this means `dry eating'. Strictly interpreted, it signifies that we
may eat only vegetables cooked with water and salt [or grilled without oil, or
raw which is particularly healthful] and also such things as fruit, nuts,
pickles, bread and honey.

In practice, octopus and shell-fish [but not fish with backbones] may also be
pataken on days of xerophagy; likewise vegetable margarine and corn, peanut,
grapeseed or other vegetable oil, not made from olives are an economy for some.

c) But the following categories of food are definitely excluded on weekdays in
Lent:
i) Meat;
ii) Animal products (cheese, milk, butter, eggs, lard, drippings;
iii) Fish (i.e. fish with backbones);
iv) Oil (i.e. olive oil) and Wine (i.e. all alcoholic drinks)

d) On weekdays in the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th weeks, one meal a day is
permitted, to be taken in the afternoon after [ the hour of ] Vespers [ ~ 3pm ],
and at this one meal, xerophagy is to be observed [ see b) above ]

e) Holy Week – On the first three days there is one meal each day, with
xerophagy; but some try to keep a complete fast on these days, or else they
eat, as on the opening days of the first week [ see a) above ]

Holy Thursday – one meal is eaten, with wine and oil (i.e. olive oil)

Great Friday – those who have the strength follow the practice of the early
church and keep an absolute fast. Those who are unable to do this may eat
bread, with a little water, fruit juice or tea, but not until sunset, or at any
rate not until the veneration of the Epitaphion at Vespers

Holy Saturday – there is in principle no meal, since according to the ancient
practice after the end of the Liturgy of Saint Basil [ the latest liturgy of the
year] the faithful remained in Church for the reading of the Acts of the
Apostles, and for their sustenance were given a little bread and dried fruit,
with a cup of wine. If, as usually happens now, they return home for a meal,
they may use wine, but not oil; for on this one Saturday, alone among the
Saturdays of the year, olive oil is not permitted.

The rule of xerophagy is relaxed on the following days:

1. Saturdays and Sundays of Lent (except Holy Sat) 2 main meals may be taken in
the usual way, around mid-day and in the evening, with wine and olive oil; but
meat, animal products and fish are not allowed

2. Feast of the Annunciation and Palm Sunday – fish is permitted as well as wine
and olive oil. No fish if Annunciation falls on 1st four days of Holy Week. No
fish or olive oil (only wine) if on Great Friday or Holy Sat

Wine and Oil are permitted on Feb 24, Mar 9, Mar 24, Mar 26, and Wed /Thur of
the 5th Week for the Great Canon

It has always been held that these rules of fasting should be relaxed in the
case of anyone elderly or in poor health, or pregnant or nursing women.

In present-day practice even those in good health fail to attain the full
strictness of the fast. [Sadly] Not many today even attempt to keep a total
fast on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday of the 1st Week, or on the first three days
of Holy Week.

On weekdays – except during the First Week and Holy Week - it is now common to
eat two cooked meals instead of one for workers and students.

Many other leniencies have crept in and economy has become the de facto rule,
and even some otherwise traditional church's practices now barely resemble the
actual practice Christians have followed for nearly 2 millennia.

"St Seraphim of Sarov pointedly said, `One who does not observe the fasts is not
a Christian, no matter what he considers or call himself…'" (St Metropolitan
Philaret)

Personal factors need to be taken into account, of course, but while weakness
and inability may explain why someone did not fast, it does not overturn the
rules (which are still the target, the standard to which we attempt to
accomplish as much as is possible for us).

It is not possible to list all the exceptions that might be necessary for any
particular individual. Each of us is unique, but also each of us has a
propensity to not struggle with ourselves.

It is far better to first know what the standard is, and then confess when you
fall short, even if it the reason for an exception seems to be most obvious
(again, do not justify falling short in Confession, just confess it).

Today, someone may justify breaking the fast in order to "keep up their
strength." Tomorrow, any struggle at all might seem too much. So, do not
pamper and accommodate, and make excuses, or justify yourself. Simply be
honest with yourself and do what you can. Every time you struggle with
yourself, it gets easier and becomes more enriching.

The rules regarding fasting need to be taken seriously, but they are not to be
a legalistic strangle-hold that is applied to everyone equally. Make sincere
efforts to fulfill all that you can. It is for your own benefit.

Confess when you fall short, but, again, do not be prideful and think that you
should have been perfect. Admit your imperfection, confess, be absolved, and
again do your best.

And your best is to fast in order to prepare for more frequent Communion - as
frequently as is possible.

Do not disregard prayer or fasting, and then still expect to be prepared to
receive. Be reasonable.

You *must* keep the fast in the days prior to Communion, so periods of Lent make
this all easier.

To casually approach the Body and Blood of Christ is spiritually dangerous. So
spiritually, take advantage of the strictness of the fasting rules in Lent, in
order to prepare more readily, and to commune more frequently.

"We hear people claiming that fasting is harmful to health. But strict fasting
is not demanded of ill people, who fast only according to their strength. Most
importantly, one should remember that only those people who themselves do not
fast, speak about the "harm to the health" of fasting. But those who observe
fasting will never say this, for they know, through personal experience that not
only is fasting not harmful, but it is positively beneficial to bodily health. "
(St Metropolitan Philaret)

A real Christian fast gives believers a great moral satisfaction.

The great teacher of asceticism, Bishop Theophan the Recluse says of fasting:
"fasting appears gloomy until one steps into its arena, but begin and you will
see what a light it brings after darkness, what freedom after bonds, what
release after a burdensome life…"

"First of all, in the Orthodox Church, monks do not eat meat."

Try telling that to all of the Greek monastic parish clergy here in the UK!

Fr. Mark, it is later than you think.