The Great Lent

Lent for the Orthodox Church begins on Monday the 10th. Traditionally, the two weeks prior to Lent are called Meatfare and Cheesefare weeks. These weeks you use up all the meat and cheese you have in your home so that it is out of the house by the beginning of Lent. I did not do this, I only figured this custom out this year, and I managed to miss that last 3 successive Sundays at Church. Either way, I plan on observing Lent so I am starting to modify my diet now so that my body will not be shocked as the fast begins. I have never observed the fast in the past. I remember when I was at KCC I would think about Lent, setting aside a week or so to challenge my self spiritually, but I didn't fast, I didn't observe the fullness of Lent. As such, I didn't understand the purpose of Lent. Now I think I am beginning to see its value.

Lent is a time of pulling oneself back to basics. You cut out all the extraneous parts of your life so that you can direct your heart and mind to God. But not just that, you offer your fast as a living sacrifice. The Church asks us to refrain from eating meat(eggs included), dairy, oil(specifically olive oil), and wine. Some places generalize olive oil to all cooking oils and some make wine mean all alcohol. For any given day sticking to this fast might not be so difficult, but the Great Lent Fast is 40 days, plus the 8 of Holy Week.

Many years ago, my friend Julian and I decided to find out what it is like to be vegetarian, so we had Veguary. In that month, we did not eat meet and in the middle of the month we went vegan for a week. The rest of the month was fine, I could always fall back on cheese, but that week trying to be vegan was hard. I just always felt hungry. Looking back I didn't prepare properly. I didn't think about what I could actually eat, so I just ate what was nearby, and that was sparse. I intend to prepare for my Lenten fast more appropriately. I will bring fruit and vegetables to work with me and I will have to think up some meals for home that Nicole will like and will fit my fast. Of course I will probably still cook normally for her.

During the fast I plan on focusing my spirit toward God. I am going to be reading "Facing East" which talks of a woman who converted to Orthodoxy as an adult. If I finish that I may move to something more austere, like "Dorotheos of Gaza". My goal is to overcome my dependence on food to fill my time or alter my mood. I have clearly enjoyed food more than I should and have used it for comfort rather than sustenance. I am praying that God will help me during my fast to change my eating habits in the long term. I have become unhealthy bodily, and it has been affecting me emotionally, mentally and spiritually. I wish to become a better steward of what God has blessed me with, and perhaps become a strong role model for my son who can learn the role of will and resolution in meeting one's goals. But also to learn that one can ask for help from others, God included, to achieve one's goals