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FOURTH ARTICLE [II-II, Q. 147, Art. 4]

Whether All Are Bound to Keep the Fasts of the Church?

Objection 1: It would seem that all are bound to keep the fasts of
the Church. For the commandments of the Church are binding even as
the commandments of God, according to Luke 10:16, "He that heareth
you heareth Me." Now all are bound to keep the commandments of God.
Therefore in like manner all are bound to keep the fasts appointed by
the Church.

Obj. 2: Further, children especially are seemingly not exempt from
fasting, on account of their age: for it is written (Joel 2:15):
"Sanctify a fast," and further on (Joel 2:16): "Gather together the
little ones, and them that suck the breasts." Much more therefore are
all others bound to keep the fasts.

Obj. 3: Further, spiritual things should be preferred to temporal,
and necessary things to those that are not necessary. Now bodily
works are directed to temporal gain; and pilgrimages, though directed
to spiritual things, are not a matter of necessity. Therefore, since
fasting is directed to a spiritual gain, and is made a necessary
thing by the commandment of the Church, it seems that the fasts of
the Church ought not to be omitted on account of a pilgrimage, or
bodily works.

Obj. 4: Further, it is better to do a thing willingly than through
necessity, as stated in 2 Cor. 9:7. Now the poor are wont to fast
through necessity, owing to lack of food. Much more therefore ought
they to fast willingly.

_On the contrary,_ It seems that no righteous man is bound to fast.
For the commandments of the Church are not binding in opposition to
Christ's teaching. But our Lord said (Luke 5:34) that "the children
of the bridegroom cannot fast whilst the bridegroom is with them
[*Vulg.: 'Can you make the children of the bridegroom fast, whilst
the bridegroom is with them?']." Now He is with all the righteous by
dwelling in them in a special manner [*Cf. I, Q. 8, A. 3], wherefore
our Lord said (Matt. 28:20): "Behold I am with you . . . even to the
consummation of the world." Therefore the righteous are not bound by
the commandment of the Church to fast.

_I answer that,_ As stated above (I-II, Q. 90, A. 2; Q. 98, AA. 2,
6), general precepts are framed according to the requirements of the
many. Wherefore in making such precepts the lawgiver considers what
happens generally and for the most part, and he does not intend the
precept to be binding on a person in whom for some s