WELCOME TO THE LENT, THE FAST OF THE LORD ! !

 

FASTING

 

Fasting is abstinence form or minimization of carnal pleasures for the sake of spiritual development. This is manifested in giving up animal products and sexual interaction for a specified period of time. Even the fasting foods are taken in a limited manner by fasting for a minimum of nine hours. Only the seriously sick, Mothers in their early months of child bearing and children less than seven years of age are exempted from fasting in the sense that they are allowed to consume animal products during fasting periods. The rest are expected to fast with utmost committeement. If there is faith, there indeed is fasting. This dates back to the old Testament in which prophets had to fast seriously to communicate with God and the faithful had to do the same to avoid His wrath. Exod.34:28;Jon.3:5-10.

 

This legacy has got the blessing of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ who heralded His Messianic service by fasting. Mat.4:2; Luke.4:2. He has set a living example to us all of the New Testament by overcoming the temptations of the Devil through fasting. As the savior has taught, it is also through fasting that we could disentangle ourselves from the slavery of the unholy spirit. Mat. 17:21; Mark.9:2.

 

When they engaged themselves in fasting and prayer, the apostles used to receive the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Acts. 13:2. Deacons and Priests who are chosen to serve the gospel were also ordained after fasting and prayer. Acts 4:25; 13:3. Through fasting, a believer could even get a blessing he has never aspired. Acts. 10:20.

 

St. Paul has also taken fasting as an indispensable mark of spirituality by including it in this list of virtues which distinguish a true Christian. “But in all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God. In much patience, in tribulations, in needs, in distresses, In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in sleeplessness /and/ in fasting,” the apostle writes. 2cor.6:5. What he is underscoring is that, of the experiences a believer has to undergo, fasting is one. Christaians who fast give what they could have consumed for their breakfast or lunch during the fating period to the needy there by pleasing the Lord who takes Himself as one of the latter. Mat.25:34-40.

 

The Ethiopian Orthodox Church, being a church of order, has seven fasting periods to be observed by all believers minus the groups mentioned earier on. Of these seven fasting periods, we are now blessed to observe the Lent of this year. The Lent is Jesus Christ's fast with which He has given an example for us to follow.

 

The Lent

This fast is the major fast f the church in the sense that the Lord himself has fasted it. It is a fast of reparation . Adam and Eve were chased out of the Garden of Eden because of their unchecked eating. The Lord who has become one of us ion the Flesh fasted it to repay for our own evil, for the evil of Adam and Eve. it is a fast of Victory through which the three cardinal Sins-greed, pomposity and monetary lust - are overcome. Mat. 4:1-11. t is a fast of transition .

 

As moses fasted for forty days and nights to secure his people's transition from the Law of conscience to that of the Tablet, So did Our Lord to herald our transition from the Old Testament to the New One. It is an examplary fast . The Omnipotent Lord who can do whatever He will so just in His Word without undergoing ups and downs has fasted to give a lesson to us, His followers. He has, therefore, done what a noble teacher does unto his disciples. Rather than solely tell the in words, he also shows them practically thereby ensuring the internaisation of his lesson. The Lent is also a fast of blessing monasticisam . by fasting it in complete seclusion, Our Lord blessed the life of celibacy which fathers like he life of celibacy which fathers like Elijah and St John the Baptist did live and others followed suit. it is a fast of preparation. As Israel duly prepared themselves for the pass over, so do we Christians to celebrate the authentic pass over by partaking in the Holy Communion, the Lord's offering of His Flesh and Blood.

 

WHY FIFTY-FIVE DAYS?

 

The Lord's fast has been for forty days and nights. The church fathers have, however, ordered that we fast for fifty five days. Two weeks- the first and the last-are not part of the Lent proper. The first is known as the Fast of Hirkal, named after a Christian who killed a heithen king known for harassing Christians in Jerusalem. The Christians fasted for the sake of Hirkal. In other words, the fasted to ask God to give mercy to Hirka who killed a person for their sake. the last week is he passion week. Fathers have ordered the fast as a remembrance for the Atonement of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

 

WEEK OF THE LENT

 

The immortal Hymnologist, St Yared of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, has composed different songs for each Sunday of the Lent. Based on this, each Sunday of this fasting period has its own name.

 

1. ZEWOREDE /Literally, He discended/ or Mussieni /To mean, of Mosses :-

 

This is the name given t the first Sunday of the Lent. So, this year's Zeworede is on 11 February 2007 Yekatit 4, 1999 E.C St. Yared has devoted this week to the crucifixion of the Lord who discended to save us. Jn. 1:9-11, 3:13-21. The Saint also cross- refers to Mosses by way of drawing similarity between the two , i.e, Mosses and the Lord who have fasted for forty days thought with an entirely incomparable effects as a creator and His creation could never be alike. Exod. 24:18; 1kings 19:8; Mat.4:1-4.

 

Each minister of the day's Mass has his own selected verses to read or sing form the Holy Bible depending on the status he has taken for that specific Mass service. The following table indicates this.

 

Verses Read sung on Zeworede
Status	Verse
Deacon /main/	Heb.13L:7-17
Ps. 2:11	Sung
Deacon /Assistant/	James.4:6-17
Priest /Assistant/	Acts 25:13-27
Priest /Main/	Jn.3:10-25

See you next week on kidist, the second Sunday of the Lent. Amen ! !

 

God bless us all !! Amen!!