They are days of discipline, not in the sense of beating ourselves up, but instead in the true meaning of the word: Discipline is related to the word "disciple" and means to learn or to follow. When we observe the fasts of our church, stepping away from rejoicing to embrace solemnity, we learn something about ourselves and the world. Observing fasts helps us to celebrate our feasts even more deeply. Just as every Sunday is a feast of the Lord's Resurrection, an echo of Easter Day, so too every Friday is a day of special discipline, an echo of Good Friday.
