Fasting
Hunger is one of the most preventable yet predominant social concerns of our day. It has different dimensions, too. Our nation is suffering an obesity crisis, and while that wouldn’t seem to be a hunger issue, it most certainly is.
Judaism, Christianity, and Islam have a lot in common, and one thing in particular we have in common this week to focus on is the spiritual importance of fasting. Fasting is simply defined as abstaining from food or drink (or both) for, in our case this week, religious reasons. In Islam during Ramadan, a month of strictly defined fasting, intimacy is also something added to the fast.
Why is abstaining from food spiritual? In Luke 4, Jesus fasted for forty days and experienced profound temptation from Satan during that time. American christianity doesn’t focus on fasting that much these days, but fasting is a significant part of Christianity throughout its history. UMC.org has this to say, “Whenever or however we fast, United Methodists do so to reorient ourselves away from the compulsions and distractions of our lives to make more room in our lives for the love of God overflowing in love to every neighbor.”
There aren’t any official rules in United Methodism about fasting despite the fact that John Wesley, Methodism’s founder, fasted regularly. Wesley’s “religious fervor” at the time that led him not only to fast, but to engage in a lot of routine spiritual practices as well. This led him and those who joined him to be mocked as “Methodist” because their religious exercise was so methodical! But methodical fasting isn’t out of the ordinary. Jewish and Muslim traditions also have structures and schedules to fasting.
There are many different reasons why we might find the act of abstaining from food as spiritual, but given the hunger crisis not only in our communities but across the world—one significant spiritual aspect of fasting might simply be solidarity with those who are hungry.
And that brings us back to Jesus. Because Jesus’ fasting wasn’t important just because he was tempted by Satan. Jesus’ fasting and temptation put Jesus in solidarity, as the son of God, with all of humanity as well!
Fasting brings us closer to God. It brings us closer to the core of who we are. It brings us closer to the need we all have to pray. And fasting can also bring us closer to those who are suffering, whether it is from hunger or any other privation, in solidarity.
And if there is anything all of us need in this season, it is solidarity with one another!
