Weedon's Blog: My Sister-in-law reminded Me...
But it is very good to think through the fast ahead of time and to fight (yes, it will be a fight) against the annual cultural pigfest that starts on Thanksgiving and runs through Christmas in our culture. In Western tradition, the fast is observed on Wednesdays and Fridays of Advent, with eating only 1.5 meals on those days, and additionally refraining from flesh meats and wine on Fridays. Also, during Advent, the winter ember days fall, which (I believe) will be Dec. 19, 21, and 22nd this year. These are all days traditionally observed by fasting (1.5 meals) and abstinence (no flesh meats or wine). Although the Advent fast is nowhere near as popular as the Lenten fast, it is still a beautiful practice to train our flesh in "denying fleshly passions" and training ourselves to be ready for the joyous Advent of our Lord Jesus.
In summary, that would mean eating 1.5 meals on Dec. 5 and 7, 12 and 14, 19, 21, and 22; and on the 7th, 14th, 19th, 21st and 22nd, refraining from all flesh meats and wine. As Lutherans we remember that this fasting is not something done to curry favor with God (favor already freely granted us in His Son), but something we may freely join in doing to help subjugate our sinful flesh and teach it that "man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God."
