Questions

Question first appeared on February 13, 2000
You speak of taking Communion frequently, and I'd love to take it every week, but I have a terrible problem with fasting. I have to wait to take Communion when I know I have nothing to do for an entire Sunday, because when I do a total fast my blood sugar drops. When that happens I get a terrible headache, and I'm ruined for the entire day. Do the people who take Communion every week fast before they take it?

Everyone who prepares for Holy Communion must strive to maintain a fast. However, in a previous question/answer regarding fasting and it's effects on physical health, I addressed the issue of those under a doctor's care who must take medication at regular intervals, sometimes with food. For those individuals the strict fasting rules are relaxed.

It sounds like you are dealing with a physical condition leading to hypoglycemia, low blood-sugar. This condition sometimes affects me. If I haven't eaten something substantial just before going to bed at midnight, there's a possibility that I'll get the same conditions before the Divine Liturgy is over.

Eating before going to bed helps me and it may help you also. If that doesn't work, and you're truly dealing with hypoglycemia, I would suggest eating just enough to relieve your condition early on Sunday morning.

This is not a license to disregard fasting altogether. Everyone should strive to meet the intent of the fast without creating greater illness or stress to their physical condition.

©Very Rev. Fr. Olof Scott, Sunday Bulletin, February 13, 2000

Question first appeared on December 24, 2000
How do you know when you are really fasting?

Fasting is the limitation of food intake in order to strengthen our spiritual life. All Orthodox Christians are called to observe a monastic practice when fasting-abstention from all meat and meat products, dairy and dairy products, fish with backbones, oil and wine.

The Fathers of the Church teach that the stomach is the source for all of our "passions"- those things that tie us to this material world and hinder our spiritual union with God. In order to get a grip on our passions we must first tame the stomach, thus fasting.

In this day and age, I would urge Orthodox Christians to observe the monastic practice as best they can, but not to be consumed with guilt when they can't strictly follow it. Rather, concentration should be on limiting quantity-cut back on meals and the portions you consume.

To answer your question, I quote from the Rev. Nicon Patrinacos' book, A Dictionary of Greek Orthodoxy: "Obviously, the value of fasting lies in its penitential character designed to strengthen the spiritual life by weakening attraction of the senses. Coupled with selfreflection and prayer, fasting can prove a powerful ally to a believer in his struggle to raise himself above gluttony and other carnal and material urges. However, fasting is not of the nature of banking credits in heaven, as some seem to believe. St. John Chrysostom, in an eruption against fasting taken by some to be the embodiment of Christian living, said the famous, `more attention should be paid to things that come out of one's mouth rather than the things that go in it.' Still fasting may prove invaluable to those who take it seriously and not merely as an expression of outer piety which they feel they should observe."

If your practice of fasting is improving your spiritual pursuits-more self-awareness, repentance, more focused and intense prayer, etc.-then you are really fasting.

©Very Rev. Fr. Olof Scott, Sunday Bulletin, December 24, 2000

Question first appeared on March 4, 2001
When is it appropriate to drink water before taking Holy Communion?

Before receiving the Sacrament of Holy Communion it is proper to fast from all food and liquid. If the Divine Liturgy is in the morning hours, one should fast beginning at Midnight. If the service is an Evening Diving Liturgy, one should fast following their midday meal.

A person of normal health should be able to endure this amount of time away from food or liquid. One prepares by taking an adequate amount of food and water prior to beginning this fast.

Fasting rules are relaxed in cases where health is a concern. An individual on medications that require they be taken with food and water are exempt from the strict fast. However, they should only partake of the necessary amount of food and/or water to make their medications effective.

In conclusion, water may be used when brushing one=s teeth, but for rinsing only. There is no need to swallow it.