The fasts of Wednesdays and Fridays

mark.naguib7

I have been fasting Wednesdays and Fridays and I feel that it is turning into a habit. So, I am reading couple of books about the spirituality of fasting, but I looked for anything to read about this exact fast and found nothing other than it is a commemoration of Judas betraying Jesus and the crossifiction. If anyone can provide any thing about this fast and when it originated, that would be greatly appreciated.

Severian

Well regarding the origins of the fast, it is certainly an ancient Christian practice. It is documented in the "Didache" or teachings of the Holy Apostles.

mark.naguib7

[quote author=Severian link=topic=13647.msg159211#msg159211 date=1345672892]
Well regarding the origins of the fast, it is certainly an ancient Christian practice. It is documented in the "Didache" or teachings of the Holy Apostles.


Can you quote the part that talks about that fast?

Severian

Chapter 8. Concerning Fasting and Prayer (the Lord's Prayer)

But let not your fasts be with the hypocrites; Matthew 6:16 for they fast on the second and fifth day of the week; but fast on the fourth day and the Preparation (Friday). Neither pray as the hypocrites; but as the Lord commanded in His Gospel, thus pray: Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done, as in heaven, so on earth. Give us today our daily (needful) bread, and forgive us our debt as we also forgive our debtors. And bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one (or, evil); for Yours is the power and the glory for ever. Thrice in the day thus pray.

http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0714.htm

mark.naguib7

How come it does not really state a reason? What about Wednesday?

Severian

Bump

andrew8345

[quote=Apostolic Constitutions, Book V, Section 3]XV. He therefore charged us Himself to fast these six days on account of the impiety and transgression of the Jews, commanding us withal to bewail over them, and lament for their perdition. For even He Himself wept over them, because they knew not the time of their visitation. But He commanded us to fast on the fourth and sixth days of the week; the former on account of His being betrayed, and the latter on account of His passion. But He appointed us to break our fast on the seventh day at the ****-crowing, but to fast on the Sabbath day. Not that the Sabbath day is a day of fasting, being the rest from the creation, but because we ought to fast on this one Sabbath only, while on this day the Creator was under the earth. For on their very feast-day they apprehended the Lord, that oracle might be fulfilled which says: They placed their signs in the middle of their feast, and knew them not. You ought therefore to bewail over them, because when the Lord came they did not believe in Him, but rejected His doctrine, judging themselves unworthy of salvation. You therefore are happy who once were not a people, but are now an holy nation, delivered from the deceit of idols, from ignorance, from impiety, who once had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy through your hearty obedience: for to you, the converted Gentiles, is opened the gate of life, who formerly were not beloved, but are now beloved; a people ordained for the possession of God, to show forth His virtues, concerning whom our Saviour said, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest to them that asked not after me. I said, Behold me, to a nation which did not call upon my name. For when you did not seek after Him, then were you sought for by Him; and you who have believed in Him have hearkened to His call, and have left the madness of polytheism, and have fled to the true monarchy, to Almighty God, through Christ Jesus, and have become the completion of the number of the saved— ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; Daniel 7:10 as it is written in David, A thousand shall fall beside you, and ten thousand at your right hand; and again, The chariots of God are by tens of thousands, and thousands of the prosperous. But unto unbelieving Israel He says: All the day long have I stretched out mine hands to a disobedient and gainsaying people, which go in a way that is not good, but after their own sins, a people provoking me before my face. Isaiah 65:2(emphasis mine)

mark.naguib7

Thank you Andrew. Just what I needed :D