More about preparing for Christmas

The “Nativity Fast” is about more than abstaining from certain foods. Fasting, praying, and giving alms during this season is a change of outward behavior that we hope will change our inward behavior, our thoughts and intentions. Everything we do as Christians, is aimed at transforming our hearts. The fast helps us in specific ways.

Without Christ’s help, we are held captive to the “passions,” or “sin.” The passions are certain thoughts, desires, and aversions that cause us trouble, that get in the way of having a peaceful heart. They lead us to act badly, and to hurt ourselves and others. Because of the passions, we are alienated from God and those around us.

Three passions cause us more trouble than the others. These three are the devil’s Marine Corps. They make the first landing on the beach of our heart. They clear the way for other armies of passions to enter and destroy us. These three are: the desire for comfort, the desire for a good reputation, and the desire for wealth. These three are also called “gluttony, vainglory, and greed.”

Fasting from food combats gluttony. Prayer combats vainglory. Giving alms combats greed. These are spiritual tools that are not given to us so that we might conquer the passions by ourselves. But when we do these things, we are living as Christ teaches us to live; we move closer to God and our neighbor. Our alienation is over. We become ready to celebrate the feast of Christmas with hearts that are open to the gift of Jesus Christ.