The article in American Magazine https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2024/01/09/exodus-90-spirituality-246841
on exodus 90 was a wonderful discussion of the program highlighting the pluses and minuses of its structure. I thought the critique was spot on and should be taken seriously. I really appreciated the point of view and how well articulated and balanced it was.
I would like to point out 3 things about the article that I think were missed or at least not addressed adequately. (humility, almsgiving w/ fasting, and why we need to fast)
Humility
One aspect the program that seems to have been ignored in the critique is that of humility. The ascetic disciplines cover a very broad range of behaviors. So broad that there is likely to be some that you are really good at and can do without any effort and others that you struggle with. The idea is that if they only had one discipline such as ‘no alcohol’ people like me would be prideful and claim that Exodus 90 was easy. The broad range of ascetic disciplines hit so many different types of personal weaknesses that participants cannot help but be humbled and compassionate towards the struggles of their fellow men. Thus, I feel that the broad spectrum of disciplines is a good thing even if it does lend itself to a meritocracy of some kind.
Almsgiving with Fasting
While I agree that almsgiving is overlooked by Exodus 90, I also feel that the author of the critique did not fully appreciate how almsgiving is correlated with fasting. Many Christian fasting traditions exhibit a very tight correlation between fasting and almsgiving. Namely, the money that you would have spent on lunch but did not because you are fasting, should be given to the needy. I think that Exodus 90 would benefit greatly if it took on this discipline. After all, the current disciplines of fasting, no sweets, no snacks, no alcohol, no unnecessary purchases, and cold showers all have the added benefit of saving you money. That money, in a Christian sense, should be given to the needy.
Why we need to fast
My view of fasting differs slightly from that of the author of the critique as well as that of the creators or Exodus 90. Perhaps my view is not fully supported by Church teachings, but I can point to Saints (like Faunstina) that support or have greatly influenced my view.
I would first like to point out what Jesus said in Mathew 17:21.
But this kind (of demon) does not go out except by prayer and fasting.
Jesus was referring to demons that caused people to be both deaf and dumb. What made this demon so difficult to the Jewish exorcist of the time was that to expel a demon, the possessed must be able to hear you say the name of God. A demon would cause deafness to prevent the possessed from hearing anything. Secondly, the exorcist of the time also needed to be able to say the name of the demon to drive them out. A dumb person cannot speak the name. Thus, the demon causing deafness and dumbness were doubly difficult to expel. Jesus pointed out that only prayer and fasting would work on such a demon.
Why do I tell this story? I worry that in the Internet fueled narcissism of today, we live in a new world of deafness and dumbness for demons to hide. It seems that modern technology on the internet makes listening to others and talking to those who disagree with you harder. Basically, the modern internet has created a personalized echo chamber for all individuals. Is this not that the same as being deaf and dumb? If it is and it allows demons to take over, then prayer and fasting is all that much more important in today’s world.
The other aspect of fasting deals why we take on suffering or hardship (penance) in Christian belief. One reason for taking on prayer and fasting is to help the souls in purgatory. The classic Christian belief is that souls in purgatory cannot pray for themselves and the suffering they endure is to purify them before seeing God. As Christ told St. Faustina “I do not wish souls to suffer but justice demands it.” It is also taught that our prayer and fasting (penance) can help those souls in purgatory. In other words, one can think of it as an equation where sin demands that there be penance but it does not matter where the penance comes from. We can do penance for other souls or for ourselves. What is often missed in this mathematical point of view of sin and penance is that it appears to be centered on our perception of cause and effect. In otherwards, sin begets a need for penance if you want to get to God. However, God exists outside of time. He does not see cause and effect as we do. He would see sin and penance as being on a scale. Where one needs to balance out the other. This is why our fasting can help others who must pay for sin. The big insight for me however is that since the flow of time is not a factor then your penance can pay for sins not yet committed and thus prevent them to begin with. St. Faustina touched on this when she would often comment in her diary on how her sisters would be contemplating a mortal sin and in response she would fast and pray and then the sin would not occur. What a powerful notion! One could argue that St. Augustine’s mother did the same. She prayed and fasted for her son’s conversion. Is it possible her fasting balanced out whatever sin was about to happen?
In Exodu90 you are to have a ‘why’. A very specific person or reason to endure the disciplines. This is not too different from any time a parent prays and fasts for a child to do the right thing and live a holy life.
In the final analysis, I am convinced that great evil could be averted and the world made markedly better if we all fasted not just for souls in purgatory but to stop sin before it starts.
I agree with the author of the critique that we also must honor the feasts and fasts of the church but the world needs fasting today more than ever and any little bit that Exodus 90 can provide should be considered a move in the right direction.