commandment of the Church?

A. To hear Mass on all Sundays and Holydays of obligation.

Q. What is the third commandment of the Church?

A. To keep the days of fasting and abstinence appointed by the Church.

Q. What is meant by fasting days?

A. Days on which we are allowed to take but one meal, and are forbidden to eat flesh meat.

Q. Which are the fasting days?

A. The forty days of Lent; certain Vigils; the Ember days; and in England the Wednesdays and Fridays of Advent.

Q. What is meant by days of abstinence?

A. Days on which we are forbidden to eat flesh meat, but are allowed the usual number of meals.

Q. Which are days of abstinence?

A. All Fridays, except the Friday on which Christmas-day may fall; and the Sundays in Lent, unless leave be given to eat meat on them.

Then was Jesus led up by the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He was afterward hungry (S. Matt. iv. 1).

And when you fast, be not as the hypocrites, sad. For they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Amen I say to you, they have received their reward. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thy head, and wash thy face; that thou appear not to men to fast, but to thy Father who is in secret and thy Father who seeth in secret, will repay thee (S. Matt. vi. 16).

And the disciples of John and the Pharisees used to fast: and they come and say to Him: Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast; but Thy disciples do not fast? And Jesus saith to them : Can the children of the marriage fast, as long as the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. But the days will come when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them and then they shall fast in those days (S. Mark ii. 18).

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But this kind is not cast out but by prayer and fasting (S. Matt, xvii. 20).

Now therefore saith the Lord : Be converted to Me with all your heart, in fasting, and in weeping, and in mourning. And rend your hearts, and not your garments, and

Q. Why does the Church command us to fast and abstain ?

A. That so we may mortify the flesh and satisfy God for our sins.

turn to the Lord our God: for He is gracious and merciful, patient and rich in mercy, and ready to repent of the evil (Joel ii. 12).

Why have we fasted, and Thou hast not regarded: have we humbled our souls, and Thou hast not taken notice? Behold in the day of your fast your own will is found, and you exact of all your debtors (Isa. lviii. 3).

Then they fasting and praying, and imposing their hands upon them, sent them away (Acts xiii. 3).

Eleazar one of the chief of the scribes, a man advanced in years, and of a comely countenance, was pressed to open his mouth to eat swine's flesh. But he, choosing rather a most glorious death than a hateful life, went forward voluntarily to the torment. And considering in what manner he was to come to it, patiently bearing, he determined not to do any unlawful things for the love of life (2 Mach. vi. 18).

And He said to all: If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me (S. Luke ix. 23).

Strive to enter by the narrow gate: for many, I say unto you, shall seek to enter, and shall not be able (S. Luke xiii. 24).

And every one that striveth for the mastery refraineth himself from all things and they indeed that they may receive a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible one. I therefore so run, not as at any uncertainty: I so fight, not as one beating the air: but I chastise my body, and bring it into subjection: lest perhaps, when I have preached to others, I myself should become a cast-away (1 Cor. ix. 25).