Fasting as an Embodied Practice

This is the latest installment of “Life in the Church Year,” a series by Dr. Kristen Einertson and Tessa Muench of All the Household. This series will provide guidance for living out the seasons of the Church Year at home with your families. Find month-by-month lists of Lutheran feasts, festivals and commemorations here.

One thing is certain when you start ordering your life around the church’s liturgical calendar: You’re sure to come across a fair number of mountaintop experiences that lend themselves to feasting, gaiety and celebration. Christmas and Easter, the principal holy days of the year, readily come to mind as defining moments for our faith and salvation. Jesus’ Ascension and the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost are just two of the many other notable moments in the Christian story worth celebrating. And don’t forget the literal mountaintop experience that Peter, James and John witnessed at Jesus’ Transfiguration. Yet we know all too well that life is not lived solely on the mountain, as God reminded Peter (Matt. 17:4–5). Our life in the Church Year reflects not only the victories won by Jesus and His saints but also the trials they have endured. This month, there is no more poignant example of those trials than the commemoration of St. John the Baptist’s martyrdom.

The Feast and Fast Paradox

The beheading of St. John the Baptist, remembered on Aug. 29, is one of the greatest examples of the striking incongruity between the eternal triumph of Jesus and the seeming triumph of the devil. The Lutheran church faithfully articulates this balance in its confession that Christians simultaneously bear the cross in this life while awaiting the glory of the life to come. This is why we can look forward to remembering days such as Aug. 29 that mark the lives of other Christians who were persecuted and even killed for the faith.

While uncomfortable to contemplate, St. John the Baptist’s death is a reminder that our riches are not to be found here on earth. There are much greater treasures awaiting us with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Nor should we be surprised by how the world treats Christ’s disciples, since Jesus Himself instructs us, “Take up [your] cross and follow Me” (Matt. 16:24).

One of the best ways to practice a posture of Christian joy is to see the connections between the trials and persecutions we experience and the promises and blessings we are given. Have you ever considered how each feast is preceded by a penitential season? Advent precedes Christmas, and Lent precedes Easter. Even the days between Ascension and Pentecost reflect the tension between Christ’s completed victory and its final fulfillment at His return, as we balance Easter joy with our fervent prayer that God would pour out His Spirit upon us. Over against a world that values quick results, limitless knowledge and even virtual “artificial” lives, the church offers us a life centered on what is lasting.

The Body in Submission

We can also practice this posture by marking certain holy days of the calendar with the Christian tradition of fasting. St. John the Baptist’s commemoration in August and other days, such as the somber commemoration of the Holy Innocents in December, are set apart for restraint and fasting in remembrance of sin, suffering and death. On days like these, when the soul mourns the death of an especially esteemed saint, Christians have historically found it unfitting to gorge oneself on the pleasures of life.

Positively stated, to fast on the commemoration of John the Baptist’s martyrdom is to place our bodies into submission as a confession of the cross. This subjection of the body is something that King Herod could not do but that the Holy Spirit enables Christians to do by grace. As Martin Luther remarks in the Small Catechism, although faith alone makes us worthy to receive Christ’s body and blood, fasting is nonetheless “fine outward training” for as long as we live in the body (SC VI).

Fasting reminds us that physical difficulties may come in this life, yet the Lord will bring us through them in the end. Though the church mourns the day on which St. John the Baptist lost his life, it also celebrates the very same day as the one on which John entered into the victory of Christ that will be revealed to all believers on the Last Day.

There are many ways to practice fasting (not all of which involve completely abstaining from food), and we encourage you to speak with your pastor about what is best for your family. We have come across many favorite fasting recipes over the years that work well to mark these special days of the Church Year and turn our eyes toward the cross.

For the commemoration of St. John the Baptist, it is traditional to consume foods that require neither a knife nor a plate to eat, recalling the manner of St. John the Baptist’s execution. Consequently, we especially love to cook and serve vegetable soup, a bowl of rice and beans, or the quinoa patty cake recipe we are offering here. But no matter how you mark fast days like this one, continuing to practice commemorative traditions such as fasting — and passing these customs on to those who come after us — reminds us that there is quite literally a time and season for everything. We need not rush through life’s difficulties.

Instead, Christians can receive each season as God gives it. The church teaches us to wait. Even when our culture pushes us toward faster and faster lifestyles, the Christian lifestyle equips us with self-discipline and a willingness to take things as they come. With each feast comes a fast, and behind each festive time of the church is a time of preparation for the celebration. Yet no matter the time in which we live, the promise remains that Jesus is coming to bring the eternal feast — for St. John the Baptist and for us.

For month-by-month lists of Lutheran feasts, festivals and commemorations, visit lcms.org/worship/church-year .

Fasting Quinoa Patties

Ingredients:

1 cup dry quinoa

4 large eggs

½ tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

2 tsp. dried parsley

½ small onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup breadcrumbs

½ cup finely grated carrot

1 Tbsp. olive oil, plus more as needed

Instructions:

Cook quinoa according to package instructions. In a large bowl, combine 2⅔ cups cooked quinoa, eggs, salt, pepper and parsley. Stir in onion, garlic, breadcrumbs and carrot. Let the mixture rest for 5 minutes to thicken.

Form into small patties. If the mixture is too wet, add more breadcrumbs, little by little; if too dry, add water 1 teaspoon at a time.

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium low heat. Cook patties, covered, for 7–10 minutes until golden brown. Flip and cook for 5 minutes more. Add additional oil between batches if needed.

Serve warm or cold. Enjoy in gyros, salads, pasta dishes or alongside avocado and your favorite sauce.

Cover image: Tessa Muench