Day One – Press the Reset Button

Each year for the past several years, we here at Be Transfigured Ministries has offered our Daily Lenten Journey to assist you in with Great Lent. Through daily readings and inspiration, we pray our words will guide you into making this year’s Great Lenten Journey a new opportunity to grow closer to Christ, and as always to Live A New Life In Christ. This year will be no different.

Each year during Great Lent, the Church invites us to read from the Old Testament, specially from the Prophet Isaiah, the Book of Genesis and from Proverbs. These readings replace the daily weekday readings which are normally from the New Testament throughout the remainder of the year. In a way, you could say that we return to the past to remember the future, because it is through the Old Testament that we properly understand the New Testament.

You may have allowed your spiritual life to “stall out” this year. You may even have been in a rut over the past few years. That’s ok, because God has given you a new chance this year to press the reset button and start over. Today is known as Clean Monday in the Church, and is a day of strict fasting and prayer meant to kick-start our Great Lenten Journey.

So I hope you’re ready to increase your prayer, fasting and almsgiving this Great Lent. Together we will journey together. To start today, here is a republishing of our suggested fasting guidelines for Great Lent. Of course, as we always do, we encourage you to speak with your spiritual father about fasting, but in the spirit of cooperation, here is a basic recommendation for your Great Lenten Journey 2020.

The following are some suggested guidelines for Great Lent this year.

• If you currently do not fast regularly or at all… abstain from meat on Wednesdays and Fridays
• If you currently fast from meat on Wednesdays and Fridays… abstain from meat every day during Great Lent
• If you currently fast… increase your fasting one “level” this year following the example above beginning with Wednesdays and Fridays.

Suggested Fasting Levels in the Orthodox Christian Tradition

1. Abstain from meat
2. Abstain from meat and dairy products
3. Abstain from fish
4. Abstain from wine and oil
5. Abstain from cooked foods

It has always been the understanding of the Church that fasting is forbidden for those who have a medical condition requiring food for medications or other requirements such as pregnant and nursing mothers. We must remember that fasting is a spiritual discipline and not meant to cause physical harm. These suggestions are for your spiritual growth, and are not meant to obligate you in any way. You should speak with your spiritual father about your specific fasting situation.