We know the miraculous story of how Misael/Meshach, Ananais/Shadrach, and Azarias/Abdenego were thrown in the midst of the firey furnace when they refused to worship an idol, and how they were preserved unharmed in the midst of the flames (Daniel 3:10-30). But the part of their story that I think bears mentioning is how Misael, Ananais, Azarias, and Daniel adhered to Mosaic law stringently in the midst of the excess around them, never deviating. They ate only vegetables and water (Daniel 1:7-15), when they surely could've chosen to eat quite finely--much more sumptuously than plain vegetables and water, to be sure! During the western Christmas season, it's very hard to be in the midst of the whole feeding frenzy all around, where there is unlimited eating and drinking and festivities and parties to be had, and it can be truly discouraging and difficult, but we are still supposed to be doing our best to make quiet preparation for the coming of our Lord God and Savior to be born in our hearts. Maybe we think it's not "so bad" to "cheat just a little"? These four men didn't cheat even a little bit, much like the many early martyrs who could've easily preserved their own lives by giving "just a little pinch" of incense as an offering to a pagan god or idol, but knew that even "just a little pinch" of incense was a renunciation of their Christian faith.
Their refusal to give in to the world around them and deviate from what seems like a "no-big-deal" portion of faith by today's world standards (that portion of faith being abstinence and fasting from certain foods) reminds me also of the Seven Holy Maccabee children (Habim, Antonin, Guriah, Eleazar, Eusebon, Hadim, and Marcellus), their mother Solomonia, and their priest Eleazar, (2 Maccabees 6:18-7:42) commemorated on August 14 on the Church calendar (+166 B.C.), who were cruelly tortured and martyred for their refusal to eat pork and transgress Mosaic law. Do we find it mere "coincidence" that these nine holy people are commemorated at the onset of the Dormition Fast, which occurs smack dab in the heat of summer, when many of us would be tempted to grill up a few meaty steaks or hamburgers along with the rest of the neighbors?
Breaking the fast is a big deal. No, fasting in itself isn't going to make somebody a saint. I am careful to emphasize that fasting DOES NOT make those who fast better than those who don't--indeed, we liken ourselves to the Pharisee in Luke 18:9-14 who Jesus condemned because that Pharisee took pride in his own efforts (even though they were righteous) and judged others--we only need to concentrate on ourselves and make sure that we are doing as the Church has prescribed to us. I unfortunately cannot remember the Holy Father who said something to the tune of to be harshest in judging ourselves, but to be gentlest in dealing with everyone else. We should never take breaking the fasts lightly, whether it's during one of the extended fasting periods throughout the liturgical year, or Wednesdays and/or Fridays outside of the extended periods (remember what Wednesday and Friday commemorate, which is the whole reason for our fasting--Jesus' betrayal by Judas for Wednesday, and the crucifixion, humiliation, death, and suffering of our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ on Friday--remembering those two things alone should deter any temptations to break the fast). Fasting is part of the "little trinity" in the Church, intertwined with prayer and almsgiving, and we can't separate any of the three from each other, nor can we ignore any of these three and call ourselves Christians. When a woman sought out the advice of the holy starets, St. Seraphim of Sarov (+1833) with regards to finding a husband for her daughter, he stated, "Before all else, ensure that he, whom your daughter chooses as her companion for life, keeps the fasts. If he does not, then he is not a Christian, no matter what he may consider himself to be." That was the most important aspect--and the only aspect!--that St. Seraphim of Sarov conveyed to this mother with regards of finding a daughter for her husband was that he kept the fasts. He said nothing about what his character should be like, his wealth, integrity, possessions, or social status. That fact should put a deep imprint on our hearts for the importance of keeping the fasts. It reminds us that simply going to church, wearing a cross, or telling other that we're Christian isn't going to make us a Christian. It takes some work on our part--all of the Holy Fathers have taught us this and are in complete harmony on it. We are taught that God is our Father, and the Church is our Mother. Everything God wanted us to know, He told our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ, Who told us, and He wants us to be obedient to Him. The Church was established by Him, purchased by His blood, and because the Church is our Mother, we need to be obedient to Her as we are to our Father. Jesus Himself fasted--are we called to do anything less than Him? And we're not at liberty to pick and choose what we like and don't like. We embrace the Faith in entirety, and we are called to actively practice it if we're to be called Christians. And that means fasting.
St. Nikolai Velimirovic's (+1956) Prologue for June 5 edifies us with this:
"Never break the fast on Wednesdays and Fridays. This fast is ordained by the Church, and is well-attested. If, at any time in your life, you break this fast, pray for forgiveness and do not sin again. Devout people do not regard themselves as dispensed from this fast either when travelling or in sickness. St. Pachomius once met some people who were carrying a corpse, and saw two angels in the funeral procession. He asked God to reveal to him the mystery of the presence of the two angels at the burial of this man. What especial good had he done that two angels should escort him to the grave? Then, by the providence of God, the two angels came across to Pachomius and explained to him: One of us is the angel of Wednesday, and the other the angel of Friday. As this man fasted every Wednesday and Friday right up to his death, we are giving his corpse a solemn escort. As he kept the fast up to his death, so we are here to glorify him."
Let's strive too for the Wednesday and Friday angels to escort us. It's true, we are called to fast in spirit, too, as St. John Chrysostom (+407 A.D.) has reminded us...it certainly isn't all about eating and not eating, or eating certain foods or abstaining from them. But abstaining from the foods the Church has prescribed has much value--for our minds, souls, bodies, and hearts--and it is a first step towards being able to abstain in both body AND spirit.
We have to start somewhere.
Although it may be difficult for us, the Church asking us to abstain from certain foods isn't that much to ask. It's certainly not like enduring what our Lord did for us, or enduring the torments of some of the martyrs. Let's be "faithful in what is least" so we can be worthy of being "faithful also in much". (Luke 16:10)
And there are times when it's certainly easier to pass up a plate of buffalo wings with a side of cheese fries than it is to forgive offenses or bear wrongs patiently.
