'abstain' Tagged Posts
2020_Spiritual Practices for Times of Crisis
Spiritual Practices for Times of Crisis Grief, pain, isolation, fear, worry, and loss can upend our normal spiritual rhythms of life and our faith life as a whole. As Christians, what do we do? Do we grit our teeth, fake it ‘til we make it, and carry on regardless? Aren’t we supposed to be “thankful in all circumstances” and happy all the time? Should we just turn away from God until we feel better? These are all valid questions and…
The Spiritual Practice of Fasting-Part 2
Fasting is just about giving up chocolate or alcohol for Lent, isn’t it?” Actually, there are other ways of fasting, and, in the Christian tradition, other times of the Church year apart from Lent, when we are encouraged to fast. We discussed in “Fasting – Part 1,” that fasting from meals can help us make room for God, help us focus on our spiritual needs rather than our physical needs, and help us prepare for Church seasons such as Easter…
The Spiritual Practice of Fasting-Part 1
What do Mardi Gras, Friday Fish Fry, and locusts and wild honey have in common? That’s right – fasting. Mardi Gras (literally Fat Tuesday) is now a carnival celebration, which culminates on the day before Ash Wednesday. In Great Britain, Mardi Gras is referred to as Shrove Tuesday or Pancake Day. The idea of Fat Tuesday originated in medieval times when monks would use up their rich food and fats, often in the form of pancakes, the night before Ash…