This painting, called Ministering Angel, has to do with the account in the Book of Matthew of the forty days Jesus spent in the wilderness, fasting and being tempted by Satan. Today, some people observe Lent, a forty day period which begins around Ash Wednesday and ends before or after Good Friday, depending on various traditions. During this period, some people give up certain foods, drinks (soda, alcohol), etc. While Lent is not mentioned in the Bible, and was a tradition created by the Church to encourage people’s remembrance of this time in the life of Jesus, it is based on the biblical practice of fasting, which comes out of ancient Jewish law and tradition. There are many accounts of people fasting in the Bible, anywhere from one day to forty days (Moses on three separate occasions while he was receiving the Law, Jesus preceding the commencement of his ministry, and the Prophet Elijah).
People fast today for a variety of reasons: before a medical procedure, to cleanse and heal their bodies, to lose weight, clear their mind, slow the aging process, and for spiritual reasons. On the spiritual, fasting brings a person closer to God and allows for revelation more clearly than in a non-fasting state. Many Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, Rastafarian, Baha’i and Mormon adherents practice fasting. A biblical fast can be a full fast (liquids only) or what is referred to as the Daniel Fast from the Old Testament Book of Daniel (no meat, sweets, or bread, drink only water and juice and eat only fruits and vegetables). While working on this series of paintings, I have done three and seven-day full fasts and a forty-day Daniel fast, which I hope to return to now that I’ve had my fill of bread, cheese, eggs and fish, which I love.
Other proponents of fasting include:
Hippocrates, the father of Western medicine, who believed fasting enabled the body to heal itself stating: “Everyone has a doctor in him; we just have to help him in his work. The natural healing force within each one of us is the greatest force in getting well. …to eat when you are sick, is to feed your sickness.”
Paracelsus, another founder of modern medicine, wrote 500 years ago that “fasting is the greatest remedy, the physician within.”
According to Benjamin Franklin, “The best of all medicines is resting and fasting.”
Reference for painting – Matthew 4:1-11
“Then Jesus was led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. And when the tempter came to him, he said, If you be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But Jesus answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. Then the devil took him up into the holy city, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, And said to him, If you are the Son of God, cast yourself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning you: and in their hands they shall bear you up, lest at any time you dash your foot against a stone. Jesus said to him, It is written again, You shall not tempt the Lord thy God. Again, the devil took him up into an exceeding high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; And said to him, All these things will I give you, if you will fall down and worship me. Then Jesus said to him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve. Then the devil left him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.”
E.J. Lefavour
http://www.hobbithousestudio.com
Good Morning Gloucester 
A portion of the Gospel Reading for Ash Wednesday in the Catholic Church
“When you fast,
do not look gloomy like the hypocrites.
They neglect their appearance,
so that they may appear to others to be fasting.
Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you fast,
anoint your head and wash your face,
so that you may not appear to be fasting,
except to your Father who is hidden.
And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.”
Matthew 6: 16-18
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To non Jews, I think that scripture seems strange. Most Christian religions don’t focus on a tradition of fasting anywhere near like Judaism does. But obviously the ones Jesus was talking to were not fasting for the right reason, which is to draw closer to God. They were more interested in impressing men, so that was their reward, which is less than nothing compared to being closer to God. It is similar to the scripture in Mark 12:41-44 about the poor widow and the two coins. The wealthy are putting in much, but not much in relation to what they have, where in love and devotion, she has put in all she has. What we don’t realize from that story (but which would be immediately understood by a Jew) is that the 13 containers the treasury offerings went into were wooden boxes with trumpet-shaped bronze funnels to guide the coins into the box. The sound these coins made against the metal would have indicated how much people offered to the Temple. The ones wanting to impress others would put in many smaller coins (like putting in a dollar worth of pennies rather than 4 quarters), to make much noise to impress other men. Many of the lessons and teachings in the Bible become so much deeper and richer if we take the time to really study and understand them, which requires coming to at least a basic understanding of Judaism, since the Bible was written almost exclusively by Jews for Jews. Luke was the only gentile author (Luke and Acts), and Paul, although he had been a Jewish Rabbi, wrote more for the gentiles, but still wrote from his background as a Jewish Rabbi. Rick, I am really appreciating your input into this series.
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Very interesting. I remember fasting during Lent when I was very young. Especially on Good Friday. I am enjoying your posts E.J. Thank you for sharing.
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Maybe you should do it again now that you are older. Fasting on occasion is very good for us for many reasons. God wouldn’t have called for us to do it except that it is good for us. He never tells us to do anything that is not good for us.
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EJ, Just beautiful. I have another take on the things to give up during Lent and Pope Francis’s Words really sums it up perfectly
Do you want to fast this Lent?
Fast from hurting words and say kind words
Fast from sadness and be filled with gratitude
Fast from anger and be filled with patience
Fast from pessimism and be filled with hope
Fast from worries and trust in God
Fast from complaints and contemplate simplicity
Fast from pressures and be prayerful
Fast from Bitterness and fill your heart with joy
Fast from selfishness and be compassionate to others
Fast from grudges and be reconciled
Fast from words and be silent so you can listen
I feel we can carry this on for the days ahead.
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So poignant and beautiful Debra! If everyone could join in on that fast, the world would transform overnight, and people wouldn’t even have to give up chocolate!
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Lot’s of memories here and fish on Fridays I do remember…They say when it rains great spirit is crying for the children on earth! And when you experience fasting it gives you a real appreciation for what you have! Like the thunderbird or angle wings holding close in comfort:-) Dave & Kim 🙂
Brook Benton – Rainy Night in Georgia
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