What have you given up for Lent?

Has anyone asked you this year:  “What have you given up for Lent?”

As a sign of sacrifice and self-discipline, Christians often will “fast” (abstain) from something during the season of Lent.  We do so partly to imitate Jesus when he went into the desert to pray and fast for 40 days. 

We read the story of Jesus going into the desert and being tempted by Satan on the first Sunday of Lent.  Inspired by the example of Jesus, some Christians therefore, fast for the 40 days of Lent.

As you know, season of Lent begins on Ash Wednesday (better known to some as the day after Mardi Gras), and lasts 40 days (not counting Sundays, which are always feast days).  

Fasting during Lent is not required of Episcopalians, though many do observe the season by fasting (giving something up for Lent).  Strictly speaking there are only two “fasts” on the Episcopal church calendar:  Ash Wednesday, and Good Friday.

But, for our Roman Catholic brothers and sisters in Christ, abstaining (or fasting) from meat on Fridays during Lent is binding upon those over the age of 14.  

As the “via media” (middle way) between Catholicism and Protestantism, many Episcopalians will also abstain from eating meat on Fridays during Lent, but (being the via media) doing so is not obligatory (It is permitted or in some quarters encouraged, but not never required).

Which brings me to the “Affair of the Sausages.” The “Affair of the Sausages” marked a significant turning point in the Protestant Reformation in Switzerland.

But, this historical event is not commemorated outside of the Christian traditions that trace their lineage back to sixteenth-century Switzerland.  It is not on the liturgical calendar of the Episcopal Church. (We are the product of the English Reformation).  But, on its five hundredth anniversary (which was this week), it is worth revisiting the history of the “Affair of the Sausages.”

On March 9, 1522, several people gathered for dinner in the home of Christoph Froschauer, a printer who lived in Zurich.  Although it was during the liturgical season of Lent and the eating of meat was forbidden, Froschauer and his wife Elise served sausages instead of fish to the visitors. Their reasoning was that Lenten fasts were not prescribed in the Bible and thus not obligatory for Christians. Though Froschauer was not in principle opposed to fasting, the biblical texts he was printing did not necessitate abstention from meat for this forty-day period. And so he feasted on dry meats with his wife, his employees, and two local priests. 

Word of their transgression quickly got out, and the people who partook of the sausages were jailed for breaking canon law. Swiss reformer Huldrych Zwingli, who was present but did not inhale, quickly took to the pulpit to defend them. Historians think Zwingli helped stage the event with the intention of challenging the obligation to fast during Lent.

In his sermon—subsequently printed by Froschauer after his release—Zwingli interprets the New Testament passages that pertain to fasting, keeping traditions, and abstaining from certain foods. He argues that fasting serves a valuable purpose, especially for disciplining the desires of idle people, but that there is no biblical basis for making fasting or abstaining from meat obligatory for all Christians. He writes, “abstinence from meat and drink is an old custom, which however later by the wickedness of some of the clergy came to be viewed as a command.” He summarizes his case by saying, “if you will fast, do so; if you do not wish to eat meat, eat it not; but Christians have a choice in the matter.”

And, that is why Protestants do not have to fast during Lent.

But, if you do, know this:  The current popular custom is to give something up that you enjoy—like chocolate.  Some do it as a sign to themselves of penitence, some as a small sacrifice.  Others do it as reminder to themselves of the divine more generally.  Every time they start to eat chocolate, they stop and think of God.

But, the observance of Lent is more than giving up chocolate.  Open your prayer books and turn to page 265.   You will note that on page 264 the liturgy for Ash Wednesday begins. And, about a third of the way down the page, in the “invitation to the observance of a holy Lent” the Celebrant reads: …

This is the sentence from the liturgy, wherein (in as far as we do), encourage fasting during Lent.  For some, fasting means eating meals that are more simple.  Which is why we have soup on Wednesday nights during Lent here at St. John’s.  We want to encourage those among us who are fasting.  For those who grew up Roman Catholic, it can mean not eating meat on Ash Wednesday, and all the Fridays of Lent.  Which is why churches often have a “fish fry” on Fridays during Lent.  For some protestants (those who do fast), it means not eating anything from sun up to sun down.  But, they do drink lots of water during the day and some will rise before the sun to eat something to sustain them through the day.

As you can see, if you choose to do so, there are a variety of ways to fast.  Fasting is a multi-faceted spiritual discipline.  And, we Episcopalians are very open to a variety of ways of doing it.  If you need help discerning what is right for you, I encourage you to talk with our deacon.  Linda does spiritual direction and she can help you discern what spiritual practices God is calling you to observe.

So, now if anyone asks you:  “What have you given up for Lent?” – you will know what they are talking about.