§ 1. On Fasting in General

650. Notions. The word fasting is taken: 1. for total abstinence from every food and drink, or from everything which is transmitted into the stomach by way of food. I say: by way of food; whence such a fast is not broken if by chance something enters the stomach by way of saliva, for example, if someone swallows some blood proceeding from the teeth or nose, or if by chance a fly enters the mouth and stomach, etc. It is then called a natural fast, or even the fast of one who is fasting. Such a fast from midnight is required for the reception of the Eucharist, unless a special permission is present, concerning which there is treatment in the tract on the Eucharist. 2. It is taken for abstinence from food and drink according to the common rules of temperance, in order to its proper end, which is a good disposition of body and mind for performing their functions perfectly. This fast is called a moral or philosophical fast, and it is sometimes employed by men without any respect to religion, solely on account of some honorable good. 3. It is taken for abstinence from food and drink in a determined degree, and indeed a greater one than moral abstinence requires. Such a fast is customarily determined by either a general or a particular positive ecclesiastical law, and it is employed on days of fasting determined for the whole Catholic Church, or also at other times for certain religious orders. This fast is called ecclesiastical or arbitrary. 4. Finally, fasting is taken in a metaphorical sense for abstinence from vices and sins.¹¹⁹⁷ These things having been explained, the following propositions are to be noted:

1. A natural fast is not of itself an act of virtue, since it consists in mere negation; nevertheless, it becomes meritorious if it is undertaken on account of an honorable motive.¹¹⁹⁸

2. A moral fast is an act of the natural or acquired virtue of abstinence. For the virtue of abstinence moderates the pleasures of food and drink according to right reason. But a moral fast is nothing other than abstinence from foods made according to right reason.

3. An ecclesiastical fast is a good act elicited by the virtue of abstinence, and moreover it is a good act which is commanded by diverse other virtues, for example, by religion, by penance, etc. For in an ecclesiastical fast there is reasonable abstinence from foods, which indeed is commanded by diverse virtues insofar as it is undertaken on account of diverse good ends.

¹¹⁹⁷ "Is not this rather the fast that I have chosen? Loose the bands of wickedness ..." (Isa. 58:6). Cf. S. theol. 2, 2, q. 147, a. 2 ad 1.

¹¹⁹⁸ S. theol. 2, 2, q. 146, a. 2.

651. Excellence of fasting. Fasting performed in a right manner and according to right reason is commended by so many examples and admonitions in Sacred Scripture and by the holy Fathers that it is astonishing how several persons, especially Protestants, have dared to disparage so efficacious an exercise of Christian virtue. Christ Himself sanctified fasting by His example, observing it for forty days, and foretold that the disciples would fast. The Apostles and the first Christians fasted.¹¹⁹⁹ Whence St. Paul admonishes: "Let us exhibit ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, ... in fastings, in chastity,"¹²⁰⁰ and already in the Old Testament fasting had been prescribed: "Be converted to me with all your heart, in fasting, and in weeping, and in mourning."¹²⁰¹ The holy Fathers wrote entire books in praise of fasting; for example, St. Augustine commended the Lenten fast in seven sermons.¹²⁰² St. Jerome wrote a little book against Jovinian, who disparaged fasting.¹²⁰³ Since these things are so, the Catholic Church can deservedly prescribe fasting at certain times, and indeed under grave sin.

Concerning the excellence of fasting St. Thomas writes:¹²⁰⁴ "Fasting is undertaken principally for three things. First, for repressing the desires of the flesh; whence the Apostle says: 'in fasting and chastity,' because through fasts chastity is preserved. For, as Jerome says: 'Without Ceres and Bacchus, Venus grows cold'; that is, through abstinence from food and drink lust grows tepid. Secondly, it is undertaken so that the mind may be raised more freely to contemplate sublime things; whence it is said that Daniel, after a fast of three weeks, received a revelation from God. Thirdly, for making satisfaction for sins; whence it is said: 'Be converted to me with all your heart, in fasting, and in weeping, and in mourning.' And this is what Augustine says in a certain sermon concerning prayer and fasting: 'Fasting purifies the soul, raises the mind, subjects one's own flesh to the spirit, makes the heart contrite and humbled, disperses the clouds of concupiscence, extinguishes the ardors of lust, and kindles the light of chastity.'"

¹¹⁹⁹ Cf. Acts 13:3; 14:22.

¹²⁰⁰ 2 Cor. 6:4.

¹²⁰¹ Joel 2:12.

¹²⁰² Migne, Patr. lat. 38, 1039ff.

¹²⁰³ Ib. 23, 312.

¹²⁰⁴ Cf. S. theol., l.c., a. 1.

652. Scholion. On the development of the ecclesiastical law of fasting. Before we treat in particular of the extent of this precept and of excusing causes, it is useful to note with Cajetan:¹²⁰⁵ "Since the whole matter of ecclesiastical fasting is almost solely of positive law, custom and dispensation over the passage of time can change the discipline of fasting greatly. Hence it has come about that what formerly was law is no longer of the necessity of law, and what formerly was forbidden is afterward lawful." But St. Alphonsus¹²⁰⁶ skillfully observes: "The authority of more recent doctors, although fewer, who alone can testify concerning later modern custom, must be esteemed more and without doubt preferred to the authority, even though more common, of older authors, who could know nothing of the custom to be introduced afterward."¹²⁰⁷

For confessional practice it cannot be sufficiently noted that in the matter of fasting the customs of places and the diverse circumstances of times have very great force. Hence almost everything must be taken from the so-called episcopal mandates which are customarily published at the beginning of each Lent in individual dioceses. Certain moralist authors do not attend sufficiently to the fact that in our times the same determinations concerning the law of ecclesiastical fasting can no longer be given which theologians of great name gave in the Middle Ages. Thus, for example, until the twelfth century only one meal, and that taken after sunset, was in use during the time of the Lenten fast; but in the thirteenth century, while St. Thomas was living, this one meal was taken at the third hour of the afternoon; in the fourteenth century, however, the same meal was taken about noon, a custom which is still in use, at least in most regions. In the eighteenth century St. Alphonsus taught with many other authors that the inversion or anticipation of the time of the one meal was gravely unlawful; today several theologians rightly teach¹²⁰⁸ that the one meal can be taken at any hour of the day for a reasonable cause. This opinion today is morally certain, since the Code of Canon Law, canon 1251, § 2, simply establishes: it is not forbidden to interchange the evening meal with dinner. Omitting, therefore, those things which were prescribed concerning fasting in ancient times, and likewise omitting those precepts which are observed by particular law in certain regions or institutes, only the presently prevailing discipline of ecclesiastical fasting is explained.

¹²⁰⁵ Comm. in 2, 2, q. 147, a. 7.

¹²⁰⁶ Theol. mor. l. 3, n. 1025.

¹²⁰⁷ Concerning the historical development of the law of fasting, see: Thomassin, Traité des jeûnes de l'Église, Paris 1680; Funk, Kirchengesch. Abhandl. I, 247-250. Leo XIII and Pius X enacted special laws concerning fasting for Latin America by the Constitution Trans Oceanum of April 18, 1897, and January 10, 1910. For Italy Pius X greatly tempered the law of fasting and abstinence by a Decree of September 5, 1907, and likewise for Dalmatia and other places. For Spain and Portugal Benedict XV greatly mitigated the rigor of fasting on December 31, 1914, and August 12, 1915 (Act. Ap. Sed. VII, 554ff.). Likewise, ample indults were granted for Switzerland.

¹²⁰⁸ Cf. Lehmkuhl, Moraltheol. I, n. 1468; Tanquerey, Synopsis Theol. mor. II, n. 1114; Noldin, De praeceptis n. 674.