I tried asking my priest about this and he said I can just use any oil. He said something along the lines that these no-oil rules were made with Europeans in mind because they have a lot more food variety over there than we have in Latin America. I'm not sure I understood his position on this matter properly as it feels like he tried to give me a very brief explanation. Regardless, if he says so then I suppose I'll use oil.
On Wednesdays and Fridays throughout the year, I would often have a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for breakfast, along with a cup of tea. That gets me through the morning.
Fasting is something you get better at with time, like honing a profession or training to be an athlete. Over time things that were previously inconceivable become routine. I used to think I couldn't fast according to the calendar, or that fasting without oil was out of reach, or that not eating for a day was not doable. Your body, mind and soul adjust incrementally. It's important not to be too easy on yourself but also not to overdo it, break your body and fall into despondency and give up completely.
I'm not sure I agree with this part of what you wrote. Were coconut and avocado oil even commonplace at the time and places that the fasting rules were originally written? I don't know for sure but I would hazard a guess that its more likely they were not even part of the common diet, not that they were left out because they were less healthy, cheap or took less time to produce. If olive oil was the only oil product back then, the spirit of the rules would dictate that we would exclude anything we have access to and regard as oil today. We can talk about quality and health etc but fundamentally these types of oils are used interchangeably, we're not talking about different food types. To me including alternative oils in a fast without oil has always smacked of trying to live by the letter of the law whilst violating the spirit. It would be more honest for such people to simply admit they don't want to or can't fast without oil. The latter is the case for some people and that's fine, but there's no need for them to ask everyone else to participate in the pretence that they are following an oil free fast when they're clearly not.
Oats, nuts and fruit soaked in water is my go-to for breakfast.
That was my hunch.
Understood. I guess I don't really see the rationale of including some oils because they are cheaper to produce. Any oil adds a type of richness to the food that would otherwise be absent and my understanding is that the intent is to deprive ourselves of this for a period. Cost is not really the primary concern otherwise we could find cheap and unhealthy forms of meat to include. And by the way avocado oil is a lot more expensive than olive oil where I live.
I did gather that our takes are similar, I just tend to respond more to the parts of posts I disagree with, no personal attack was intended. And I don't recommend people trying to educate their priests or bishops. Humility and obedience are paramount.
What if the peanut butter says on the label that "it might contain traces of milk" because it's made with equipment that is also used to make stuff that contains milk? Is that off-limits or am I overthinking this in a legalistic way?
Im sorry to hear that you are having these feelings and also @GodGiveMeStrength , would be interesting to hear from you guys what is the biggest thing you struggling with, whats the hardest part you find of being Orthodox at this present time? for me personally Iv been experiencing the opposite, this is my 2nd great lent and I was just baptised the other day during lent thank God, but each lent and fast has been getting easier and easier, Im also the only 1 in my family who is Orthodox so I have to make all my own meals seperate to my wife and kids but Im also not an American maybe my life is different to you guys over there? the first year I never did the wednesday and friday fasts I only never drank wine on those days but I did the Saturday midnight no food until after liturgy, this year I have been doing the wednesday and friday fast every week no problem and this lent is really going well It seems I have built up a fasting stamina that I didnt have 2 years ago, I did go through hell during the catechuman process though it was really hell so my struggles are different to yours, almost got divorced, almost lost our house and my family, about twice I was put in a situation where I was asked to deny Christ and if I didnt I would lose something very precious, I obviously didnt deny Christ and chose the suffering, but it seems like you guys are going through a different kind of suffering I pray God will give you the grace and endurance to go through this trial, this phase of having small children you going through is not easy I have also gone through it and still going through it, it was the first time I almost got divorced, my 3 kids are bigger now but still all under 10 its easier now. If I may say the things that really keep my going is my prayer corner in the garage thats where I go and pray away from everyone sometimes even late at night when everyone is asleep and also attending church every week, the times I didnt go those were bad weeks for me, I also noticed that when I was going through hell I was forced to pray more and focus more on God to the point that I was prepared to loose everything and everyone, the danger I see right now after my baptism is that all of a sudden my life at this present moment has no difficulties, no persecutions so Iv noticed that I havent been praying as much as when I had trouble so I have to be careful, this is when the fasts and going to church help me, it humbles me,
I went through that family issue thing before my recent Orthodox baptism I know what you going through, but if I may say you have to choose Christ over your family, over everything, I told my family that I would never leave them and I would always be here for them no matter what hell I had to go through but I told them Im not gonna stop my faith or going to church, that was not up for debate, over 90% of my family never went to my baptism even kt wife didnt go, i received messages from family members saying they not coming to my baptism because Im being led astray by satan and committing idolatry, those kinds of messages, my own mother didnt even come she says she was very hurt, my wife said if I get baptised she was never gonna kiss me or have sex with me again and was gonna file for divorce, but guess what right now I have no family issues all that has passed (for now it seems) Im on good terms with my mom, my wife didnt file for divorce and we having sex etc etc, God worked a miracle, theres a scene in a keano reaves movie ronin 47 when they went to a village of spirits in the forest and Keano reavea told his soldier no matter what he sees he must not draw his sword so while he was in the forest of the spirits he saw wild visions that seemed so real of things attacking him and he was holding onto his sword tempted to draw it and fight back, but he didnt and then it all went away, thats kind of what you might go through but dont draw your sword