All
of this sounds like medieval theologians arguing about whether chewing on
a blade of grass breaks a fast. What’s the point of
nitpicking?
 can answer your question
by answering the question you don’t ask.
What is
fasting all about anyway? Isn’t it
about realizing that you need to hunger for God as much as you hunger for
food? To put a piece of grass in your mouth during a fast, you’re
“soothing” yourself—however unconsciously—and that detracts
from your hunger for God. So the grass really does break the fast. The answer
doesn’t depend on nitpicking about how insignificant the grass may be,
or how minuscule are the nutrients in it. It has nothing to do with a legal
approach that looks for loopholes, because if you look for loopholes in
love, it’s not love in the first
place.
And in that you have the essence
of Catholic mysticism. No loopholes. Just pure love.
Blessed are they
who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be
satisfied. |
—Matthew 5:6 |
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