We overdo it and exhaust ourselves with fasting. Or, on the contrary, we come up with self-justifications and don’t fast. What's wrong here? What is the general meaning of Christian fasting, what should it lead us to? Hegumen Nektary (Morozov) reasons.
What is more important: internal or external?
The essence of any fast is to work hard, at least to a minimal extent, oppressing your flesh in its usual needs and requirements, and at the same time achieve some kind of liberation of the spirit. Fasting promotes greater composure; fasting humbles and forces you to face your inner man, to see what is happening in the heart and soul.
The gastronomic component is just external factor, allowing, let's say, to influence oneself. After all, the fight against any passion begins with the fact that a person denies himself the pleasure, imaginary or real, that the satisfaction of this passion usually brings him.
And food is the most primitive pleasure, which, one way or another, all people strive for with rare, rare exceptions.
And when a person refuses individual species food or begins to eat less, then he, accordingly, develops the skill of limiting himself in something else. A “foundation” appears in order to build on it the fight against all other passions.
A person for whom church life is just beginning often tries more strictly, or better yet, more literally, to fulfill what relates to the physical component of fasting. But for a person who has a deeper understanding of church life, it is still typical to think more about those internal changes that should happen to him during fasting and which he only contributes to by abstaining from food.
In deciding whether one should fast more strictly or, conversely, more liberally, everything depends on one’s strength and health. specific person. There are people who have the necessary health to fast without oil and even eat uncooked food; some may eat once a day, others once every two days, but this is rare.
More often modern man so physically and psychologically weak that if he adheres literally to the Typikon, he most likely will not be able to carry out the fast to the end. Or he will not be able to go to services, or will not understand what is read and sung there, simply because his brain, not receiving the necessary nutrition, will be depressed.
Therefore, everyone should focus not on how long he has been going to church and whether he knows church life well, but on what specifically for him, within the framework of the regulations on fasting, may be neither excessive nor too little, but namely real work.
Of course, if a person fasts for the first time, he cannot know what is feasible for him and what is not. Therefore, in my opinion, when embarking on the feat of fasting, one must consult on all related issues with the priest to whom the person usually confesses and who, accordingly, knows the peculiarities of his health, lifestyle, and experience of church life.
With the same priest, a person can adjust the measure of fasting if after some time he feels that he has taken on a feat that is beyond his strength or, on the contrary, that the work is too easy, which he does not even feel.
Moreover, it is natural to consult with a priest on this matter, because fasting while outside the Church is practically pointless, because fasting is a church institution, and it serves to ensure that a person enters more deeply into church life. This is a kind of unification with the life of the Church, and if it does not happen, then it is just a diet, nothing more.
It happens that a person who has been in the Church for a long time, at first tried to fast strictly and, perhaps, even damaged his health, and therefore then there is a certain rollback - a fear of fasting arises.
There must be a reasonable approach. For example, from many saints, from the same Venerable Abba Dorotheos, you can find the following instruction about fasting: measure out for yourself how much food you need, take a little away from it, and that’s your fast.
Let's fast like monks: maybe that's enough?
Among churchgoers there is an opinion that since the rules of fasting were written for monks, it is necessary to draw up another, special one for the laity. But the fact is that we actually have a single church charter, based on the Typikon, which was naturally born in the monastic environment.
I don’t know whether there is a need for a separate charter on fasting for the laity, as well as a charter for parish worship. The issue is quite complex and multifaceted. On the one hand, this makes sense and has some rational grain. On the other hand, in the Typikon we see a kind of icon of ascetic life, perfect image which a person should strive for. This sets a level that turns out to be largely unattainable for us, but to which we, nevertheless, strive.
The commandments of Christ, according to the word of the Savior, are not difficult and simple, but when a person tries to fulfill them, it turns out that it is almost impossible. Throughout our lives we must strive to fulfill these commandments, no matter how difficult it may be for us. And this is more difficult than the regulations on fasting or worship.
But if we abandon the Typikon in the form in which it is, because of its complexity and are looking for a simpler charter, closer to our weak forces, then we need to create some commandments for the laity. But this is absurd. There is one Gospel, it is for everyone.
Then maybe it’s not worth changing anything? And all my life I should strive for what I should, and at the same time have every reason to say: We are unbreakable slaves (Luke 17:10).
This feeling of one’s own “worthlessness” is precisely what a person should achieve through fasting. After all, a physically strong person, who can eat very little food and rejoice in it, faces another danger - becoming arrogant, like the Pharisee, about whom we hear in the hymns of the Week about the publican and the Pharisee.
When it turns out that someone is trying, but physically cannot do something, he resigns himself. And it seems to me that this is some kind of ideal model.
Maybe the post is not important at all?
A common mistake our parishioners make is that they often focus all their attention on the gastronomic part of Lent, forgetting about its spiritual component. And this error relates not so much to the question “how to fast?”, but to the problem of misunderstanding the Christian life as such.
Christian life means putting off the old man and putting on the new man; it is constant work on your heart. And a Christian must first, above all, become a good man, and then a good Christian, which is associated precisely with those changes that occur in the heart. Everything else is only worn external character. We consist of soul and body, and both of these components must participate equally in this work, but in different ways. And what comes first is what’s inside.
However, there is some temptation here to say that fasting is not important at all and can be reduced to some kind of symbol. No, in everything that a person does, there must be labor that approaches the edge of his possibility, because the Lord begins to truly help when a person does everything in his power: whether in fulfilling the commandments of Christ, in any difficult life situations or here in given time post. And then this work, by the grace of God, bears fruit.
If a person sets the limit of work for himself: I can do so much, and this will be enough, because it is not important, then there will be no benefit. We must show the firmness of our will, and the Lord will fill the rest. There is, of course, a place for wickedness in everything we do, and it is up to us to notice this wickedness in ourselves, fight it, be a little more demanding of ourselves and even, perhaps, cruel or not.
One of effective ways not to lose sight of the spiritual component of Lenten work is to make a plan for myself, even on paper, and outline what I should try to do during this fast.
I am sure that any reasonable Orthodox Christian key point in this regard, there will not be a reduction of food consumption to such and such a minimum, but spiritual demands on oneself: to change something in your life, in your relationships with people, even in your work.
But at the same time, it has been noticed that when a person limits himself in food, he less wants to talk and judge. True, he becomes a little more irritable, but, knowing this feature, you just need to be attentive and treat it correctly.
People who have been in the Church for a long time and feel confident when they begin fasting are also not immune to a number of mistakes. There is such a common expression: “immersed in church life,” and, probably, this main mistake- a feeling of deepness.
We do not have the task of going deeper into anything - into church life, into reading the holy fathers, into the Gospel. We have a task to become good people and good Christians, draw closer to God. Our whole Christian life is manifested in what the fruits of this life are.
In the patericon there is a story about how a certain brother went around and praised his brother everywhere. spiritual mentor like a great old man. And someone finally asked him: “How is it possible to good tree How was he born such a sour fruit like you?”
A person can read a lot, often attend services, fast strictly, pray a lot, but at the same time acquire neither humility, nor meekness, nor patience of all that the Lord sends in life, nor readiness to accept and fulfill the will of God, no matter what. it was not concluded. But this is precisely what a person must delve into - into devotion to the will of God.
Christian fasting is recognized today by Catholics, Orthodox Christians, and Protestant churches. But everyone observes it differently. For some, it is customary to eat once a day during the 40-day period that precedes it. For others, it is customary to fast on Friday Holy Week. Some abstain from meat, fish, eggs and dairy products during Lent.
Many believers believe that Jesus started fasting. The Bible actually records how he then fasted for 40 days. But he did not establish a ritual to follow. This conclusion can be drawn from what is told about his first followers. The Bible nowhere says that the early Christians observed Lent. Lent was first observed in the 4th century AD. - this is almost 4 centuries after Christ. And the custom of fasting was borrowed from paganism, like many others.
Well, if Lent is truly an imitation of Jesus, then why is it observed on days when Jesus is believed to have been resurrected and not baptized? Jesus did not fast before his death. On the contrary, there are messages in the Bible that before his death, Jesus and his disciples ate food. And on the night before his death, Jesus ate the Passover dinner with his disciples.
But the fact that Jesus fasted after his baptism can be very useful for us. After his baptism, Jesus had to begin very important matter, serving God. Therefore, Jesus needed to think everything over carefully, pray to God, ask him for help and guidance. Therefore, we can conclude that fasting will be beneficial if done for the right reasons and in an appropriate case.
When fasting can be beneficial
A person who has committed a sin may not want to eat for some time. And this may happen not because he wants to impress others, but because he is tormented by his conscience for the offense he committed. And abstinence from food itself, of course, does not improve the relationship between the sinner and God. However, sincere repentance for having sinned against God and against some people can lead to a person fervently praying to God and all this suppressing the desire to eat.
King David experienced something similar. He was very afraid of losing his newborn child, and therefore he concentrated all his strength on prayers to God, asking for salvation for the child. David put all his feelings and strength into prayer, so he fasted. Today, too, there may be such difficult situations when a person may feel that eating is inappropriate.
The Bible also records instances where God's servants had to accept important decision, and so they fasted.
To fast or not to fast is a personal matter for everyone. You should never judge another in this matter, or impose your point of view. You shouldn't give up food just to appear righteous in front of people. But you shouldn’t attach such importance to food that it would interfere with doing important things. The Bible makes it clear that God does not require us to fast, but He does not forbid us to fast if we feel it is necessary.
The holy fathers answer this question unequivocally: a Christian, a faithful son of the Church of Christ, must observe fasts, remembering that everything in the Church is established by God Himself for the sake of our salvation. Fasting by a Christian is not a virtue, but a duty of obedience to God.
Rev. Macarius of Optina:
“Keeping fasts and fast days necessary necessary. This is not a human invention, but with the assistance of the Holy Spirit it was decreed and legitimized by the Church and Councils, and the foundation and Head of the Church is Our Lord Jesus Christ Himself. He invested His Church with such power that if anyone disobeys the Church, you will be like a pagan and a tax collector (Matthew 18:17), and also said to the Apostles, and in them to the shepherds: “Listen to you, he listens to Me: and reject you, Me is rejected: reject Me, the One who sent Me will be rejected” (Luke 10:16). Then only repentance can reconcile us with this crime; and when it is done with contempt, then I can no longer say anything.
...This is not a virtue, but a duty. There is a reward for virtue, and punishment for failure to fulfill duty.”
One day, a lady, in a conversation with Saint Theophan the Recluse, told him that she drank a glass of milk on either Wednesday or Friday while on the road. “This, of course, is not an important thing,” said the lady. The saint answered her: “Mother, you didn’t drink a glass of milk, but you slapped the Mother Church!” This is the sin, and a great sin - not to recognize your Mother, to reward her with slaps in the face. And to whom the Church is not a Mother, God is not a Father. That’s where things went, and you say it’s nothing, an unimportant thing!”
St. Theophan the Recluse:
“Where did they find such a charter about fasting? Where they talk about spiritual fasting, it is not mentioned that there is nothing to worry about about the physical, you can do without it, and it is only reminded not to limit yourself to physical fasting alone. Great Lent and the Assumption Lent are significant, but From this it cannot be concluded that other posts can be turned into non-fasts.We must be completely correct in the church charter, without reservations.
Poor post! How much reproach, slander, and persecution he endures! But everything, by the grace of God, stands. And how could it be otherwise? The support is strong! The Lord fasted, the apostles fasted, and not a little, but, as the Apostle Paul says about himself, “they are abundant in their fasting,” and all the saints of God kept a strict fast, so that if it had been given to us to survey the abodes of heaven, we would not find there would be no one there who would shun fasting. That's how it should be. By breaking the fast, paradise is lost - raising strict fasting should be among the means to return the lost paradise.
Our mother, the compassionate Holy Church, is she really our stepmother? Would she impose such a heavy and unnecessary burden on us? But it imposes! That's right, it can't be otherwise. Let us submit... And everyone who wants to be saved will submit... Look around. More or less, anyone who becomes concerned about the soul now begins to fast, and the more concerned he is, the more strictly he fasts. Why would this be? - Because when you fast, things go more successfully and it’s easier to control your soul. Whoever dissuades himself from fasting, surely salvation is not dear to him. Where the womb writes the laws, there God is the womb. To whom God is the belly, he is the enemy of the Cross of Christ. Whoever is an enemy of the Cross is an enemy of Christ, our Savior and God."
St. rights John of Kronstadt:
“Whoever rejects fasting forgets what caused the fall of the first people (from intemperance) and what weapon against sin and the tempter the Savior showed us when he was tempted in the desert (fasting forty days and nights), he does not know or does not want to know that a person falls away from God most often through intemperance, as was the case with the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah and with the contemporaries of Noah - for from intemperance comes every sin in people; whoever rejects fasting takes away from himself and from others weapons against his multi-passionate flesh and against the devil, who are strong against us especially through our intemperance, is not a warrior of Christ, for he throws down his weapon and voluntarily surrenders into captivity of his voluptuous and sin-loving flesh; he, finally, is blind and does not see the relationship between the causes and consequences of actions.
Is fasting necessary, that is, abstinence not only from certain foods not consumed during fasting, but also abstinence from consuming them in large quantities? Is fasting necessary as abstinence from the pleasures of gross sensuality? Is fasting necessary as abstinence from disordered thoughts and movements of the heart and disapproving actions? Do you want, beloved, to inherit blessed eternity, or the Kingdom of Heaven, which also undoubtedly exists, just as it is certain that we now live on earth, because the incarnate God the Word Himself, His prophets, apostles and all saints assure us of this? His? How can you not want to! There, according to the faithful and immutable Word of God, righteousness and peace and joy live in the Holy Spirit forever and ever (Rom. 14:17), there is God, there are blessed spirits, there are righteous people, and on earth - for not much more than seventy years only You almost see sins, turmoil and disasters - everywhere. If you want, then you must certainly fast: since flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God (1 Cor. 15:50), because the Kingdom of God is not food and drink (Rom. 14:17).
They say: it’s not important to eat fasting while fasting, it’s not about food; It’s not an important thing to wear expensive, beautiful clothes, go to the theater, to parties, to masquerades, to have magnificent expensive dishes, furniture, an expensive carriage, dashing horses, to collect and save money and so on; but because of what our heart turns away from God, the Source of life, because of what we lose eternal life? Is it not because of gluttony, is it not because of precious clothes, like the evangelical rich man, is it not because of theaters and masquerades? Why do we become hard-hearted towards the poor and even towards our relatives? Is it not because of our addiction to sweets, to the belly in general, to clothing, to expensive dishes, furniture, carriage, money and so on? Is it possible to work for God and mammon, to be a friend of the world and a friend of God, to work for Christ and Belial? Impossible. Why did Adam and Eve lose paradise and fall into sin and death? Is it not because of food alone* (* Is it not because of food alone - Is it not only because of food.)? Take a good look at why we do not care about the salvation of our soul, which cost the Son of God so dearly, because of which we add sins to sins, we constantly fall into opposition to God, into a vain life, is it not because of addiction to earthly things, and especially to earthly delights? What makes our heart hard? Why do we become flesh and not spirit, perverting our moral nature? Is it not because of addiction to food, drink and other earthly goods? How can we then say that eating sparse foods during Lent is not important? This very thing that we say so is pride, vanity, disobedience, disobedience to God and distance from Him.”
Rev. Ambrose Optinsky:
We can see the need to observe fasts both in the Gospel and, firstly, from the example of the Lord Himself, who fasted for forty days in the desert, although He was God and had no need for this. Secondly, to the question of His disciples: why they could not cast out a demon from a person, the Lord answered: “because of your unbelief” (Matthew 17:20), and then added: “this generation can only come out of prayer and fasting” ( Mark 9:29). In addition, there is an indication in the Gospel that we must fast on Wednesday and Friday. In Mark 2, when the Lord was asked: “Why do the disciples of John and the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast? He answered: sons of marriage can eat food until the groom eats and fasts with them; the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days” (Mark 2:18-20). - Here the Lord called Himself the bridegroom, and His disciples, and in their person all the believers, as the sons of marriage. The Bridegroom was taken away from the wedding sons on Wednesday and Friday, that is, on Wednesday the Lord was handed over to be crucified, and on Friday he was crucified. Therefore, the Holy Church established the sanctification of these days by fasting.
St. John Chrysostom:
“Since Christ did and endured everything for our teaching, even now He allows Himself to be taken into the wilderness and put into battle with the devil...
From here know how great the good is and how much strong weapon against the devil - fasting; know and learn that, having washed yourself in the waters of baptism, you should not indulge in pleasures, drunkenness and rich foods, but observe fasting. That is why Christ himself fasted - not because He needed fasting, but for our teaching. Serving the womb was the guilt of sins that existed before baptism. Therefore, just as a doctor, having cured a sick person, forbids him to do what caused the disease, so here Christ established fasting after Baptism. And Adam was driven out of paradise by gluttony; it was also the cause of the flood in the time of Noah; it also brought down fire on the Sodomites. …That is why Christ fasted for forty days, showing us saving medicine.”
IN Lately It has become quite popular to fast. From year to year everything more people limit themselves in food for the purpose of physical recovery and spiritual cleansing. Believers, of course, know well how to fast correctly. Our article is intended for those who are going to fast for the first time, we will tell you about the meaning of fasting, why it is needed, how to fast, what you can and cannot eat during fasting, and also about who is allowed to relax the fast .
Should you fast?
First of all, it’s worth saying that the meaning of any post, according to Orthodox Church, consists of cleansing the spirit and body from earthly passions, anger and hatred. Jesus Christ himself in his sermons said that fasting should be an impulse of the soul that seeks calm, peace and harmony. Under no circumstances should you fast for show in order to impress others. Fasting should be dedicated only to God, and it should be done with joy and from the heart.
People have long fasted before doing something important, when they especially needed strength and wisdom from God. You should also fast in order to humble your soul before God and purify your heart, drawing closer to him. Only such a fast does God accept, only such a fast is pleasing to God, and only in such a fast will he accept and hear the sincere prayers of a person, giving him the strength to do good deeds.
The answer to the question: “Is it necessary to fast?” each person gives himself. It is important that you really want it, that it is the sincere desire of your soul.
According to the Bible, fasting is not even a reduction in the diet with the removal of fast foods from it, it is a complete abstinence from food, sometimes with abstinence from drinking, as well as abstinence from sexual relations for a certain period of time. This is the time during which a person humbles and crushes his pride before God and surrenders himself to his power and mercy. According to the Bible, one should fast only out of love for God and only before him, without showing off or hypocrisy.
The second popular question related to fasting is: “Is it possible not to fast under certain circumstances in life?” The Bible says that the most important thing is spiritual fasting, and only then physical fasting. Those. During the period of fasting, you must live in humility and chastity, read prayers, take communion, and you can fast without being too strict. Only the first and last 7 days of fasting require compliance. The Church officially allows not to fast:
- pregnant women and nursing mothers
- travelers
- old people
Doctors add to this list:
- patients with cancer
- teenagers who need a large number of protein, vitamins and minerals
- people with blood pressure problems, gastrointestinal diseases, heart failure
- people engaged in heavy physical labor
- people living in extreme climatic conditions
In general church rules Each person sets the degree of strictness of fasting for himself after a conversation with his spiritual mentor: the more a person feels sinful, the more strict the fast he must observe, and most importantly, the more sincerely he must want to observe it!
How to fast during Lent
Now let's talk about how to fast during Lent. Lent is coming, how to fast correctly? First of all, you should think about spiritual cleansing and, in this regard, reduce watching TV, using the Internet and listening to music. In addition, you should spend more time at home with your family, avoid noisy companies and other entertainment. It’s great if you manage to reduce the amount of intimacy during the fasting period; it is strictly prohibited in the first and last weeks of fasting. Fasting without prayer has practically no meaning; it is also necessary to make peace with all your neighbors during fasting, attend church every Sunday and confess and receive communion at least once a month.
We've sorted out spiritual fasting. Now let's talk about... The strictest days of fasting are the first four days, as well as the entire last week before Easter. At the same time, on the first Monday of Lent (Clean Monday) and the last Friday before Easter (Good Friday), you should not eat or drink anything at all. The remaining days, dry eating is allowed (fruits, nuts, seeds, salted, fresh or pickled vegetables).
During fasting, you should not smoke, drink alcohol (with the exception of red wine on weekends and holidays that fall during this period), meat, fish, eggs, milk and all products containing them. Not yet edible vegetable oil, it is only allowed on weekends.
You should eat no more than once a day if you adhere to strict fasting, and no more than two times if you are not strictly fasting.
Meals during fasting are organized according to the schedule:
- Monday, Wednesday, Friday - dry food (water, bread, fruits and vegetables, dried fruits, honey, nuts)
- Tuesday, Thursday - hot food without oil is allowed (tea, coffee, porridge, thermally processed vegetables)
- Saturday, Sunday - you can eat any food 2 times a day, except fast food, plus vegetable oil
On the Feast of the Annunciation Holy Mother of God And Palm Sunday You can eat fish, and on Lazarus Saturday - fish caviar.
Advice: Drink throughout your fast. more water to prevent dehydration. Remember that the smells of cinnamon or cloves help fight hunger.
How to fast before communion
And the last thing in the context of fasting is fasting before communion. Few people know how to fast before communion. Be sure to fast before communion for those people who do not fast throughout the year and receive communion only once a year, for example, on Easter. In this case, you should fast for a week before communion, and the day before communion itself you should completely abstain from food and water.
If you observe fasts throughout the year and fast on Wednesdays and Fridays, then the Eucharistic fast will be enough for you, i.e. communion on an empty stomach.
In addition to fasting, before communion you should read the rules, canons and prayers before communion, which are in any prayer book.
Remember that the most important thing in fasting is not food restrictions, but cleansing of the soul. It is worth refusing not so much from food as from the passions of earthly life that weigh on our souls. Then fasting will be a joy.
Answers priest Alexander Pikalev
1. Why was the rule of fasting established, what is its benefit?
The word post in Russian, like Latin(where it most likely came from) has a double meaning. Fasting is not only a special time of abstinence prescribed by the Church, but also a place where a military guard stands. This homonymy of the word post is not accidental. At its core, fasting is a time when we stand guard over our soul and try to limit ourselves as much as possible in what does not serve its salvation. This is both bodily abstinence and abstinence from everything vain that is in life: from entertainment, from secondary activities, from idle conversations.
To put it very simply, it’s time overhaul. So we usually keep our house clean, wipe the dust, wash the floors, and for a while this is enough, but only for a while. There comes a time when you need to decisively get rid of everything that is dilapidated in the house, renovate, rebuild, re-roof. Something similar happens to our soul, mind, morality. This is precisely the purpose of major repairs and renewal of the soul that fasting serves. No wonder in the ascetic Orthodox tradition it is called spiritual spring.
The benefit of fasting is that we remind ourselves again and again that we are not only bodily, that we are more than our body and are not identical to it, that the most important treasure for us Christians is our immortal, god-like soul, unfortunately, burdened with sins. Lent is a time of deep repentance, a special effort of all spiritual forces to correct oneself according to God’s commandments.
2. Why is this fast called Great?
A special blessing should be taken not for the fast itself, but for breaking it for one or another objective reason, for example, due to illness. And therefore those who cannot fast fully, in Forgiveness Sunday They ask the clergy for blessings to relax the fast.
5. Who determines the severity of fasting for a fasting person?
Firstly, the severity of fasting is determined by the church charter - the Typikon. Of course, not everyone is fluent in Church Slavonic and can navigate it, but the necessary information about the severity of fasting can be found in any church calendar.
Secondly, the severity of fasting for everyone, to a greater extent than the Typikon, is determined by our conscience, because not all severity and not all abstinence can be equally useful for everyone. Moreover, the church charter is a monastic charter, i.e. These are the rules of life for those people who have dedicated their entire lives to God and the fight against passions. Monks are those people for whom their whole life is fasting and prayer. We, unfortunately, very often are not like that. And it is quite clear that the weight that a weightlifter lifts jokingly can cripple an unprepared person. Therefore, the fullness of both physical and spiritual achievement is achieved through many efforts and not immediately. Remember how Vysotsky said: “I walked for so long to the pedestal that I trampled the dents in the platform.” Also, the founder of monasticism in the 4th century said that the most cardinal virtue This is prudence, therefore, one must approach the measure of fasting wisely, weighing one’s physical and spiritual condition and consulting with a priest, remembering that fasting is, first of all, abstinence from sin. Before giving up sausages, you need to give up cannibalism, i.e. stop eating each other and then think about church fasting. Everyone knows that evil person many times angrier if he is also hungry.
6. What is more important during fasting, to observe strictness (food, actions) or constant prayer?
In general, I have already answered this question. If not everyone can abstain from certain types of food and this is not beneficial for everyone, then there cannot be any objective reasons for not praying, not repenting, not taking communion, but if we have a Christian state of mind, i.e. a state of hatred for sin and love for one’s neighbor, then this provides the basis and motive for right actions.
7. Why do many people strive to go to confession? Lent?
Confessing ONLY during Great Lent is not a very good tradition, because one must think about the soul outside of Great Lent.
Confession and Communion only during Great Lent is the maximum permissible minimum for a Christian, so as not to essentially fall away from the church. Well, it’s like eating only when you start to faint from hunger. It’s possible to live like this, but no one would call it a full life, it’s a pathology. A Christian should strive to receive communion and confession as often as possible and never neglect or delay participation in the Sacrament. He figuratively compares the Liturgy to a wedding feast. To be a mere spectator at a feast and refuse the offered treats is an insult to the owner and organizer of the celebration. So in the Church, if we do not partake of the body and Blood of Christ, then our Christianity is formal, lifeless. Because Christ saves us not by reading the Bible or saying prayers, but by the fact that in the Sacrament of the Eucharist we become co-corporeal with Christ, partakers of His Divine nature. Everything else: fasting, prayer, attending services, confession, reading Scripture - this is the preparation of our soul, mind and conscience so that we can receive communion with dignity.
First of all, it is clear to understand that fasting is not an end, but a means. And the purpose of fasting is Easter, victory over sin and life with God. In addition, we must understand that fasting without correct church life, without the Eucharist, without confession is nothing more than a diet.
Often, some unchurched Christians say: faith is a personal matter, it is not necessary to talk about what I believe in, faith is in the depths of the heart. Actually this is not true. A Christian is obliged to testify in word and deed to his faith in Christ as God and Savior.
Pet.3:15 Sanctify the Lord God in your hearts; [be] always ready to give an answer to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you with meekness and reverence.
But these words about secrecy and intimacy can easily be applied to fasting. Christ Himself speaks about what fasting should be like:
Also, when you fast, do not be sad like the hypocrites, for they put on gloomy faces in order to appear to people as fasting. Truly I tell you that they are already receiving their reward. And when you fast, anoint your head and wash it your face that you may appear to those who fast, not before men, but before your Father who is in secret; and your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you openly ().
Fasting, like any feat, is not appropriate for a Christian to show off, appearance show everyone around the immeasurable worldwide sorrow: I am fasting, do not come near me. On the contrary, ascetic monastic literature calls fasting a “cheerful time,” a time of renewal and cleansing of the soul from debris. If we do not identify ourselves with this garbage, we long with all our souls to get rid of it and enter renewed into that space in which it is no longer we who, with our insignificant efforts, strive to get closer to God, but in which the Risen God Himself, having destroyed hell, comes to meet us, then fasting cannot but bring us joy.
Interview with Slovo newspaper
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