About Newman
Fasting and Holy Week
March 24, 2024
In a sermon, Fasting, a Source of Trial, explained in an earlier post, John Henry Newman invites us to the practice of self-denial in imitation of Jesus Christ. He explains how through fasting the Christian is spiritually united to Christ’s life and sufferings. He notes that the weakness experienced during fasting opens the person in a mysterious unknown way to the invisible world of evil.
When Newman moved to the village of Littlemore, he lived the practice of fasting during Lent very strictly for the first few years. He and his companions did not have food or drink until five in the afternoon. But he found, as other people do, that it made him weak and caused headaches. In the Lent of 1844, he lived the practice of fasting but in a less strict manner. They made provision for eating two meals each day, one of these consisting of a slice of bread. They abstained from meat, but had no restriction on sugar, butter or salt fish. They were allowed to have as many cups of tea as they wished.
In Fasting a Source of Trial, Newman reminds that we must not forget its main purpose: to unite ourselves with Christ. This personal act and other forms of self-denial are not ends in and of themselves. Rather, in and through these practices, we allow Christ to live in us. If we do so, we will find that we can then imitate Christ, who gave his life for us, in giving ourselves in the service of others.
By means of fasting and other acts of self-denial we are also strengthened to accompany Jesus in his sufferings during Holy Week. At the same time we are reminded of the need to exercise moderation in fasts and other sacrifices, and to seek advice in spiritual direction regarding these Lenten practices.
In another sermon, The Cross, the Measure of the World, Newman warns us of taking a superficial view of the events of life. He tells us that the Gospel does not give us a gloomy view of life. “It only forbids us to begin with enjoyment. It only says, If you begin with pleasure, you will end with pain. It bids us begin with the Cross of Christ, and in that Cross we shall at first find sorrow, but in a while peace and comfort will rise out of that sorrow.”
Holy Week begins with the joyful Hosannas for Christ our King. But after these acclamations we will enter into Jesus’ immense sufferings and the saving mystery of his Cross. The sacrifices and fasting of this week, especially on Good Friday, will unite us to his glorious victory. Newman closes the latter sermon, advising us not to trust the world with all its enjoyments, “let us not give our hearts to it; let us not begin with it. Let us begin with faith; let us begin with Christ; let us begin with His Cross and the humiliation to which it leads. Let us first be drawn to Him who is lifted up, that so He may, with Himself, freely give us all things.”
