Advent Nativity Fast

This first week of advent my theme is to "Cherish and care for the earth". A vegetarian diet is better over-all for the planet, so this week I've started a Nativity Fast.

The Nativity Fast is the Orthodox Christian way to experience the waiting which is Advent. Instead of “pre-celebrating” Christmas, they have a 40-day period of fasting, beginning on November 15th (but I wait until AFTER Thanksgiving!)

Besides fasting, the practice includes also prayer, alms-giving, and love. 

Agenda Today:
1. Advent Prayer

2. Mini-Nativity Fast
3. Make Revithia Soupa (Chickpea Soup)
4. Love

5. Alms-giving

1. Advent Prayer:

May all I say and all I think 

be in harmony with thee, 

God within me, 

God beyond me, 

maker of the trees.

— Chinook prayer, Pacific Northwest Coast

2. Mini-Nativity Fast:

The Orthodox Church teaches that Advent represents the time before Jesus‚ when the people were disconnected from God. Advent is our chance to experience this loss and disconnection in order to embrace and celebrate the joy of Jesus’ birth in its fullness. During the fast, Orthodox Christians eat less than normal, and avoid meat‚ cheese‚ eggs‚ fish and wine on most days. They keep a primarily vegan diet, without being strict about it - the spirit of the practice is more important than what is actually eaten. 

According to many people, raising animals for food produces more greenhouse gas emissions than all of the cars, planes, and other forms of transportation combined. Other studies indicate that it's more complicated than that, and the benefits of a vegetarian diet depends on where your vegetables come from. 

But I do believe a vegetarian diet is better, over all, for the planet, and I lean towards vegetarian all year round. At advent, I eat vegetarian a little more often, and also eat smaller portions of everything (I'm calling it a mini-fast, because I'm not very strict with myself.)

3. Make Revithia Soupa (ρεβιθόσουπα):

I often make this traditional Greek vegan soup to kick off my fast. Revithia means chickpeas; the stock is creamy and lemony-delicious!

Ingredients:

• 2 cans chickpeas
• 2-3 large carrots
• 2 stalks of celery
• 1 large onion
• 3 tsp. salt
• 1-1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 4 dried sage leaves
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 c. olive oil
• 1 c. parsley or kale
• 4 large thyme stems
• 2 Tbsp. flour
• lemon wedges

Serves 4-5

1. Chop carrots, celery, and onion (you can add any veggies you like-- this year I added cauliflower). Chop the parsley or kale (I like the flavor of kale better).

2. Combine chickpeas, 5 c. water, and chopped veggies in a soup pot. Season with salt and pepper, sage, and bay leaves. Simmer for 20 minutes.

3. Add the olive oil and stems of thyme. Stir well.

4. Remove 1 cup of hot broth into a small bowl. Add 2 Tbsp. flour to the bowl of hot broth and stir until completely dissolved. Add broth back to the pot and stir well to incorporate. 

5. Continue to cook for 10 more minutes. Remove the sage, bay leaves, and thyme stems before serving.Serve with a wedge of lemon to squeeze into the bowl - the fresh lemon takes the soup to a whole different level!

4. Love:

I've been trying to get a handle on what the Orthodox Church means when it says Love is part of the nativity fast. 

A Bulgarian writer says, "Fasting is a way to prepare to love; to stop paying so much attention to yourself, to what you eat or drink; to sharpen the senses for the joy of communication; to see things you used to ignore."

Another Orthodox writer says, "Without the presence of a spiritual effort and vigilance; the message of sharing the love of Christ with our neighbor is easily lost. Fasting and praying have, as their goal, to make one more aware of the needs of others."

5. Alms-giving:

Alms-giving is another one of the practices that Orthodox Christians subscribe to during the Nativity Fast. My tradition is to show my love for this earth on the first week of Advent by making a donation to Friends of Trees - a local group that plants trees all over town and also cares for them. AND they have bike crews that haul all the trees and tools with bikes, which I plan to help with again later this winter.