Lenten Fasting at Work

Fasting is one of the "Three Pillars" of Lent (Prayer, Fasting, Almsgiving). Let's see how we might apply fasting during our work day. 

Lent? Fasting?

Well, the traditional Catholic calendar - the one followed by so-called "traditional" Catholics and the venerable Latin Mass of the Ages - has already introduced us to Lent in the form of Septuagesima Sunday (last Sunday) Sexagesima Sunday (last Sunday), to be followed by Quinquagesima Sunday (this coming Sunday). That tradition offers these Sundays for us to think ahead and plan - for Lent that is.

And isn't that quite appropriate for us Catholic men at work, who must, of course, think ahead and plan all the time? We do this for the welfare of our families. We do it for the success of our businesses, whether as owners, managers, or employees. Thinking ahead and planning based on our thinking pretty much holds pride of place in the priority list of our normal activities. Right?

Same applies to our spiritual life, doesn't it? We think ahead as we plan our daily regimen of prayer, study, spiritual reading, meditation, receiving the Sacraments, etc. And if we're really on top of our game, we try to coordinate this with the Liturgical Calendar. Such a discipline allows us to change or at least tweak our regular so-called "norms of piety" to particular liturgical seasons like Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter.

You'd think, therefore, that those three Sundays we referenced above could never lose their place in our spiritual life. But if you're strictly observing the newfangled calendar that supports the Novus Ordo Mass, those three Sundays simply disappeared - poof!

Shocking, isn't it?

But since there's no law that prevents us from thinking ahead and planning, let's take advantage of our tradition and begin to focus our minds and hearts on Lent and the commitments we might make to the Three Pillars. With that, we'll focus now on fasting. Specifically, let's try and see if we possibly practice some form of fasting at work. 

After all, we serious Catholics don't separate our work from our spiritual life. In fact, we want to sanctify our work such that it serves our spiritual life. And while each of us must determine the appropriate way to do this based on our individual circumstances, fasting during Lent - even while on the job - might serve many of us quite well.

Fasting can be practiced in many ways. The obvious: eating less. But can it also mean other things? For example, holding back our tendency to judge others, to speak rudely to our wives or sharply to our children? Can we hold back these tendencies and "fast" from them? Just a thought.

What about fasting at work? Again, begin with eating less. We can do this - or at least try it. Catholic men have done this for centuries. At the very least, this practice was not uncommon in the past. These days, not so much. Why? Maybe many of us live "Catholic lite" lives. 

We can blame our shepherds if we choose. Without risking our desire not to judge or not to be uncharitable,  the fact is we don't hear much about fasting any more. Fasting seems to be one of those "burdens" our modern Novus Ordo Bishops and priests seem to want to avoid. No need to pile such difficult practices on us delicate flowers! Our parish priests are pretty good guys, but I can't think of any time the subject of fasting has seriously been discussed during a sermon. So it's not just super-modernist-border-line-heretic clerics who avoid talking about fasting - or perhaps even discourage it.

But before we get bogged down in a rant about the state of Holy Mother Church these days, let's simply remain recollected during this preparation for our Holy Season of Lent. In that spirit, we might consider fasting, even fasting during the work day. After all, we don't have to join the Delicate Flowers Club, right?!!

So let's assume we've rejected membership in that club. Indeed, we're mentally, emotionally, and spiritually robust enough to take on the challenge of fasting at work. And we're well-grounded in the knowledge and practice of our Catholic religion to know that such fasting will benefit us both here and now, as well as in the after life.

Starting to feel some enthusiasm for fasting at work yet? Good. Now that we're primed and pumped, we can put a little thought into how we might fast during Lent at work. We'll pick up on this next time...