Fast Monday

[Clark Addison]

I tend to overindulge on the weekends. Saturday nights often mean football, which plentiful snacking. Sunday is my day to cook, and I always cook something that I will like to eat. So I often start my work week with my appetite somewhat reduced. In addition, I rarely eat lunch on work days. I am not one of those people who feel faint if they don’t eat every couple of hours; in fact, lunch makes me sleepy, and also interferes with my tireless dedication to credit card marketing. I only eat lunch when I have a social or business engagement, or if someone else is paying.

The result of this is that I often have Mondays like today. I had dinner Sunday night at about 4:30. I then had one or two small snacks between dinner and about 7:00, and then did not eat nor drink again until dinner on Monday, which was at 6:15.

Here is my question. I don’t particularly enjoy Fast Sundays, but days like today are easy. I probably have 5 or 6 days like this a month. Could I replace my Fast Sunday with a Fast Monday? It kind of feels like cheating, due to my camel-like engorging on Sunday evenings, but don’t most Mormons stuff themselves before Fast Sunday anyway? I know that in Middle-Eastern countries, the sabbath is changed to a day other than Sunday, so I think there is precedent for something like this. Theologically speaking, is there any reason not to make this switch?

[wuapinmon]

I tend to overindulge on the weekends. Saturday nights often mean football, which plentiful snacking. Sunday is my day to cook, and I always cook something that I will like to eat. So I often start my work week with my appetite somewhat reduced. In addition, I rarely eat lunch on work days. I am not one of those people who feel faint if they don’t eat every couple of hours; in fact, lunch makes me sleepy, and also interferes with my tireless dedication to credit card marketing. I only eat lunch when I have a social or business engagement, or if someone else is paying.

The result of this is that I often have Mondays like today. I had dinner Sunday night at about 4:30. I then had one or two small snacks between dinner and about 7:00, and then did not eat nor drink again until dinner on Monday, which was at 6:15.

Here is my question. I don’t particularly enjoy Fast Sundays, but days like today are easy. I probably have 5 or 6 days like this a month. Could I replace my Fast Sunday with a Fast Monday? It kind of feels like cheating, due to my camel-like engorging on Sunday evenings, but don’t most Mormons stuff themselves before Fast Sunday anyway? I know that in Middle-Eastern countries, the sabbath is changed to a day other than Sunday, so I think there is precedent for something like this. Theologically speaking, is there any reason not to make this switch?

It sounds fine to me.

[BlueHair]

Just pay a generous fast offering and skip the fasting altogether!

[Moliere]

Why wouldn't it be okay? Is there any doctrinal reason that we have fast Sunday? No, it's just a convenient way to remind the church body that we should fast. Its also nice to have a more spiritual environment like church when fasting but I'm sure you could supplement win scripture study or CuF reading. Just start and end with a prayer and pay a fast offering and it should be fine.

[old_gregg]

The real sabbath is on Saturday anyway. Go for it.

[Mrs. Funk]

I think this is one of those things where we need not be commanded in every matter.

If you want to fast on Monday, I say knock yourself out.

[SCcoug]

I don't think the standard works mention any particular day to fast. I seem to remember from somewhere that back in the day members used to fast on Thursday.

[NorthShoreCoug]

Fasting was observed on Thursdays from when it was first instituted in the early church until 1896, when it was moved to Fast Sunday.

The purpose of fasting is 1) to petition the Lord with a sacrifice, 2) to build personal strength, and 3) to provide a means for assisting the needy. I would think when you do it is of little consequence, as long as you are meeting these purposes.