The practice of living the life in Christ: fasting, vigil lamps, head-coverings, family life, icon corners, and other forms of Orthopraxy. All Forum Rules apply. No polemics. No heated discussions. No name-calling.
Sorry to write this post so early, but I am seeking a bit of info regarding the why's on certain aspects of the Nativity Fast. I looked through the archives of this site and I understand what the Nativity Fast consists of but I am lost on how to explain this to others. Mainly the 25+ people showing up at my mother's house for her "once in a lifetime Christmas event".
(The Good-year blimp will be flying over your homes as soon as we finalize the guest list) :mrgreen: .
My family is as of yet unaware of my gleanings into Orthodoxy and my desire to convert. So when I show up for Christmas and say, "Oh, by the way I am here to be but not to eat", I am going to get a whole bunch of questions and I would appreciate some responses as I am totally new at the fasting schedule of Orthodoxy.
(Neo-Catholicism's rules of fasting consist of "1 hour warnings" before Communion but really nothing more is enforced.) So. any advice, reponses, funny faces, or anyything else you can do to help me out on this one thanks a million!
The Latins used to have a 40 day fast before Nativity too. Thats why they wear purple for Advent, a color of repentance. In Orthodoxy, if we are fasting and are served dishes that are non-fasting we eat them out of courtesy, but me do not purposefully take and eat non-fasting foods. There is an ekonomia about it all. Does this help?
It does a bit Lounger, thank you for your response. It is just that there is a part pf me that feels closer to the obligation of Faith rather than family and because I desire to enter into the Communion of the Church I also desire to abstain from all non-fasting foods so that the Graces of the fasting period are granted to me because of my best efforts.
Do not take this the wrong way but on my journey to Orthodoxy I got involved in a Neo-Catholic fringe group that explained away all of their fallacies with "Epikeia", essencially the same thing as economy and there is a part of me that does not feel comfortable with that phraseology because of it. I realize that the reasons and the praxis behind the Orthodox view of "epikeia" are completely and totally different, but it is just an old "skeleton that I have ti shake off of my past ideologies.
If you're beginning to observe the fasts, maybe it's time to tell your family that you're interested in the Orthodox Church. Nevertheless, depending on how closely people observe what you eat, you could just eat more vegetarian stuff (salad, potatoes, whatever) and less of everything else. Or just abstain from meat, but don't try to cut dairy products, or you won't be eating anything at all, and people will really start to wonder. Maybe the family's first impression of Orthodoxy shouldn't be that it makes people starve themselves and be rude dinner guests. You could ease them into it slowly. Just some thoughts. I have a New Calendar Orthodox family, and I celebrate the holidays with them. but I make sure not to go overboard on the goodies.
Dear OrthodoxyNow,
Just wanted to say that when Orthodox are presented with non-fasting dishes at a non-Orthodox person's house, you eat out of politeness. The concept behind it is that it's better to break the fast & not hurt someone's feelings (the whole holier-than-thou-you-heathen-and-you-don't-understand-anything, even-though-you-stayed-up-all-night-basting-the-turkey-and-making-real-stuffing-to-make-this-meal-special thing), rather than to keep the fast & end up insulting and/or hurting someone's feelings.
Since your family yet isn't aware yet that your leaning toward Orthodoxy, this holiday season might actually be the perfect time to very gently start to break it to them. Obstain say from eating the meat, but have some icecream type deal. Since I gather your Catholic (correct me if I'm wrong), you might tell your family that you are becoming more & more interested in returning to the roots of that Catholic Church, and want to follow the old traditions more strictly (hence the adhering to Advent, or Lent, whichever). It might be easier to go that route rather than just announce that your switching, or thinking of switching. I have a friend who did it this way, & the family was much more understanding than they would have been if he had just announced "I'm becoming Eastern Orthodox." When they first heard about it, they thought it was a cult.
Anyway, that's my 2 cents.
Ania
I would think that in this as well as any other questions one had, one should ask their spiritual father. looking at my calander, that appears to be a day when we can have wine, oil, and fish. so perhaps offer to bring some polluck or something. Anyways, going by the advice of the Priest who is guiding you to Orthodoxy is always best.
I wish to first off thank you for your help with this. Your responses have shown me beyond my ideals and have very much answred my questions (on this topic anyways .) It is very heartening to know that the struggle for Orthodoxy endured by all the faithful is a struggle we all face together and are able to walk with each other on.
As to how to break this to my family, they have stood by most of my trials and journey. I have no doubt that this also will pass with a but of questioning on their part, but also with patience and mercy on mine. It has been suggested that I wait to talk to my mother about my conversion because of a few of the issues in both her life and mine and at this point I think that it is best that I follow that advice, however that at any moment can change as prayer can soften a hardened heart and mercy is always available ot those who seek with a pure heart.
I pray that she and the rest of the "youngers" in my family convert, that would add 10 souls and mine makes 11 to the Orthodox Faith. I pray also for the "olders" in my family as well, (add 5 more to the previous 11 and you get one big happy family, opun intended). Many prayers and sacrifices to see a happy end result. Who knows except the Most High, All in His time.
Again, I thank you for your help and your advice. I shall continue to add all of you to my prayers.
.) It is very heartening to know that the struggle for Orthodoxy endured by all the faithful is a struggle we all face together and are able to walk with each other on.