Christians have been admonished to do away with sinful acts and dissociate themselves from anything evil while they seek the favour of God.
The admonition was given by a Catholic Priest, Rev. Fr. Anthony Dayo Atoyebi, while speaking on a radio programme called Lenten Reflection at Diamond FM, Ilorin Friday.
Fr. Atoyebi who spoke on “Catholic Church and Abstinence” describing the latter as the practice of restraining oneself from indulging in something, especially things considered untoward or immoral.
He said, “abstinence and fasting are seen as ways to express sorrow for sins, make reparation for wrongdoings, and foster a closer relationship with God through self-denial.”
The clergyman, who is the Parish Priest of St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Chaplaincy (University of Ilorin Mini Campus) asserted that the practice of fasting and abstinence has Biblical roots in the Old and New Testaments, giving the examples of Daniel’s fast and Jesus’ fast in the wilderness.
He made copious reference to Daniel 10:2, saying fasting involves abstaining from animal products, processed foods, caffeine and alcohol for a period of 10 – 21 days, primarily focusing on fruits, vegetables, whole grains and water.
He further explained that the spiritual essence of fasting is “seeking to draw closer to God through a period of focused prayer, personal acts of penance and abstaining from certain foods.”
Following the example of Daniel, he said, one can take fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, and water, while avoiding meat, dairy, alcohol, processed foods, refined carbohydrates, caffeine and sugary drinks.
Noting that fasting has many benefits, he then counseled that the Daniel Fast should be used as a tool for spiritual growth and not as a way to simply restrict food intake to control weight.
To Catholics, abstinence refers to refraining from meat, including flesh and organs of mammals and fowl, as well as soups or gravies made from them, traditionally observed on Fridays and during Lent, particularly Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.
He said those that may be excused from the obligation of abstinence are individuals who are sick, the elderly, pregnant women or those in situations of moral or physical impossibility.
He noted that fasting is a way to deny oneself worldly pleasures and to focus on spiritual matters, pointing out that “Jesus fasted for forty days and nights in the wilderness after his baptism, a period during which he was tempted by the devil, seen as a period of spiritual preparation and a demonstration of his reliance on God and this fast is remembered and observed during Lent by many Christians.”
