Vacation Winding Down; More on Fasting

Vacation days are winding down, and Advent is awaiting. As usual with vacations, by the end of them I'm bored to death with vacation and eager to get back to work again. I think that's one of vacations greatest values: they teach us to long for work!

I've spent part of the afternoon reading some sermons on Advent I. Johann Gerhard and Martin Luther are quite different in homiletical approach. I enjoy them both for very different reasons. Gerhard seems always to have in mind the way that Scripture as a unity calls to itself from one passage to another, and by the time he's done with a text you've seen that text in the light of the whole of creation, redemption and eschatology. Luther tends to focus a bit more on the text. Oh, he definitely uses "scripture to interpret scripture" but he rarely moves far afield from the point of the passage under consideration. Though Gerhard is a century after Luther, Gerhard's approach is far more reminiscent of the Church fathers that he loves so much. Luther is actually more modern.

I am far more familiar with Luther's Gospel sermons than those on the Epistles. Today, though, I decided to read the sermon in the Church Postil on the Epistle for Advent I. I couldn't help but think what a fine preparation for Advent itself - the exposition of St. Paul's words in Romans 13. What is the call of the Holy Church in Advent-tide? Naught but "Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires."

Luther proclaimed:

"Now in Christ we behold only the true armor of light. No gormandizing or drunkenness is here; nothing but fasting, moderation, and restraint of the flesh, incident to labor, exertion, preaching, praying and doing good to mankind."

"Now, the armor of light is, briefly, the good works opposed to gluttony, drunkenness, licentiousness; to indolence, strife, and envying: such as fasting, watchfulness, prayer, labor, chastity, modesty, temperance, goodness, endurance of hunger and thirst, of cold and heat."

"The flesh must be restrained and made subservient to the spirit."

"All foods are good creations of God and to be used. Only take heed to be temperate in appropriating them and to abstain when it is necessary to the conquest of the works of darkness. It is impossible to lay down a common rule of abstinence, for all bodies are not constituted alike. One needs more, another less. Everyone must judge for himself; and must care for his body according to the advice of St. Paul: 'Make no provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.' Had there been any other rule for us, Paul would not have omitted it here.'"

Luther's last bit there reminded me of the wise words of Blessed John Cassian about the fathers' rule for fasting. He says there really was only one that was universal and that was simply to stop eating before you are full. I think Luther would have said an "Amen" to that one too.