On Giving Up

Google Reader is a beautiful thing -- not only does it help me follow friends' blogs, but I keep up with other sites via Reader.  Busted Halo normally makes my heart happy, even if they are not always as strongly Catholic as I would prefer.  Their message adds a positive voice to the world of the internet, a sorely needed addition.

Their features include "You Don't Know Jack," videos where a priest takes to the streets of New York, asking random people pertinent Catholic trivia (an oxymoron, I know).  The videos are generally good for a few laughs and a quick impression of how people see the Church's life.  However, this video hurt my heart a just a little:

The priest explains the Church's practices well, but misses the mark when giving the mindset behind them.  Why do we fast?  Why do we give things up?  Sure, sacrificing for others is noble, and I would encourage (especially myself) to remember to sacrifice both in ways that directly benefit others and in ways that build solidarity.

Yet to say that we fast simply (or primarily) for the sake of others obscures the beauty of our Lenten sacrifice.  We fast (and perform other acts of sacrifice) to detach ourselves from things of this world and thereby fix our eyes more firmly on heaven.  We fast to strip away everything on this earth that is not essential, even if it is good, so that we will long for only what is above this earth, what is the greatest and ultimate good.  We fast to bring ourselves to the foot of the cross, because only there are we close enough to Christ to stay faithfully as His side through His death and to His resurrection.

Without this understanding, sacrifices (especially prescribed ones, such as abstaining from meat on certain days) don't really make sense.  Why give up a good that does no harm to anyone?  We give up the good to make room for the Best, to get rid of the clutter of the little goods that distract us from the Ultimate, Who should also be our Only.

I could go on about Catholic fasting and other spiritual benefits, such as discipline and self control, but I need to exercise those virtues and study.  If you have thoughts or anecdotes about sacrifices and fasting, please add them below!