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Holy Fathers about fasting
D thousands of years ago, humanity waited with hope for the Savior. However, the majority imagined Him as an earthly king and therefore did not notice the day of His Nativity.
Bethlehem slept peacefully, and only a handful of shepherds heard the angel's gospel.
These people believed that the Savior could be born not in the royal palace, but in a cave where sheep were sheltered from bad weather. These people saw the One for whom the whole world was waiting, because they were pure in heart. And as a reward for everything, the secret of the Embodiment of Love was revealed to them.
How often do people hope that life will improve thanks to... external reasons. They do not suspect that the darkness of everyday life can only be illuminated by love in their souls. But to find it, you need to cleanse your heart.
D neither fasting takes a person out of the bustle of everyday life, demands from him pure life for God. This is another, unworldly time. IN Old Testament was required to bring a tenth of their income to the Temple. Fasting is the New Testament sacrifice of Christians to God.
Leo the Great writes:
“The very maintenance of abstinence is sealed in four times, so that throughout the year we may learn that we are in constant need of cleansing and that when life is scattered, we must always try by fasting and almsgiving to destroy sin, which is multiplied by the frailty of the flesh and the impurity of desires.”
According to Leo the Great, the Nativity Fast is a sacrifice to God for the harvested fruits. “Just as the Lord generously provided us with the fruits of the earth,” the saint writes, “so during this fast we should be generous to the poor.”
According to St. Simeon of Thessalonica, "The fast of the Nativity Pentecost depicts the fast of Moses, who, having fasted forty days and forty nights, received the words of God inscribed on stone tablets. And we, fasting for forty days, contemplate and accept the living Word from the Virgin, not inscribed on stones, but incarnate and born, and we partake of His Divine flesh".
The Nativity Fast was established so that on the day of the Nativity of Christ we purify ourselves with repentance, prayer and fasting, so that with a pure heart, soul and body we can reverently meet the Son of God who appeared in the world, and so that, in addition to the usual gifts and sacrifices, we bring him a pure heart and desire follow his teachings.
Venerable Paisiy Velichkovsky
I call fasting eating a little one day during the day, while still being greedy, getting up from the meal; food to have bread and salt, and drink to have water, which the springs themselves supply. This is the royal way of eating, that is, many were saved this way, as the Holy Fathers said. A person cannot always abstain from food for a day, two, three, four, five and a week, but he can always do so in order to eat bread and drink water every day. Only after eating, one must be a little greedy, so that the body is submissive to the spirit, and capable of work, and sensitive to mental movements, and bodily passions are conquered; fasting cannot mortify bodily passions as much as meager food mortifies. Some fast for a while and then indulge in sweet foods; for many begin fasting beyond their strength and other severe feats, and then weaken from immoderation and unevenness, and seek sweet foods and rest to strengthen the body. To do this is the same as creating, and then destroying again, since the body, through poverty from fasting, is forced to desire sweets and seeks consolation, and sweets kindle passions.
If anyone sets a certain limit for himself, how much meager food to take per day, he receives great benefit. However, regarding the amount of food, it must be established how much is needed to strengthen strength<...>such a one can accomplish every spiritual work. If anyone Furthermore fasts, then at other times indulges in peace. Moderate feat has no price. For some of the great Fathers took food by measure and had measure in everything - in exploits, in bodily needs and in cell supplies, and they used everything in due time and every thing according to a certain moderate rule. Therefore, the Holy Fathers do not command to begin to fast beyond one’s strength and to weaken oneself. Make it a rule to eat every day - this way you can abstain more firmly; If someone fasts more, how can he then resist satiety and gluttony? No way. Such an immoderate undertaking arises either from vanity or from recklessness; whereas abstinence is one of the virtues that contributes to the curbing of the flesh; Hunger and thirst are given to man to cleanse the body, preserve him from bad thoughts and lust; Eating sparingly every day is a means to perfection, as some say; and he who eats every day in certain hour; Saint Theodore of Studite praises these in his teaching on the heels of the first week of Great Lent, where he cites in confirmation the words of the holy God-bearing Fathers and the Lord Himself. This is what we should do. The Lord endured a long fast; equally Moses and Elijah, but one day. And some others, sometimes, asking something from the Creator, imposed on themselves some burden of fasting, but in accordance with natural laws and the teaching of Divine Scripture. From the activities of the saints, from the life of our Savior and from the rules of life for those living decently, it is clear that it is wonderful and useful to always be ready and to be in ascetic endeavor, labor and patience; however, do not weaken yourself by excessive fasting and do not render your body inactive. If the flesh is inflamed in youth, then much must be abstained; if she is weak, then you need to eat enough to be full, regardless of other ascetics - whether many or few people fast; look and reason according to your weakness, as much as you can accommodate: for each there is a measure and an inner teacher - his own conscience.
It is impossible for everyone to have one rule and one feat, because some are strong, others are weak; some are like iron, others are like copper, others are like wax. So, having well known your measure, take food once every day, except Saturdays, weeks and sovereign holidays. Moderate and reasonable fasting is the foundation and head of all virtues. Just as you fight a lion and a fierce serpent, so you must fight the enemy in bodily weakness and spiritual poverty. If anyone wants to have a strong mind from evil thoughts, let him refine his flesh by fasting. It is impossible to serve as a priest without fasting; Just as breathing is necessary, so is fasting. Fasting, entering the soul, kills the sin lying in its depths.
History of origin The first mentions of the Nativity Fast date back to the 4th century, they can be found in the works of St. Ambrose of Milan, St. Augustine and other saints. The Nativity Fast, like other multi-day fasts, was established by Christians in the first centuries. At first it lasted 7 days, sometimes more, but in 1166 at the Council of Constantinople it was approved that all Christians should fast for forty days before the Feast of the Nativity of Christ. The Nativity Fast ends the yearly cycle. The fast begins on November 28 and ends on January 7. This fast is also called Filippov - in honor of the Apostle Philip. It is on the day of his memory that the fasting ritual begins. The spell The spell takes place on the final day before the start of fasting and marks the time when last time Believers are allowed to eat fast food: meat, dairy products, animal fats, eggs. If the day of the conspiracy falls on Friday or Wednesday, which are considered fast days, then in this case it is transferred to the previous day. Why was the Nativity Fast established? God loves us and therefore is waiting for our rebirth, so that we, to the extent of desire and strength, gradually abandon our sinful habits and receive an inner vision of what we live and what we suffer from. Sin is the most terrible thing in every person’s life. All troubles, both global and private, lie in sin and in our inability to fight it. In order for our fast to become salutary, it must be truly favorable to God. We should work to look at our lives differently. The Nativity fast was established so that Christians, having cleansed themselves with sincere repentance, sincere prayer, abstinence from food, with a pure heart, could reverently meet the Son of God born into the world, and our change in better side and the desire to follow His teachings have become the gift and sacrifice that we can present to our Lord Jesus Christ on Christmas Day. What is important to do during fasting? The Lord does not require supernatural feats from us. Christ says that our heart should be able to perceive the pain of another person. This does not mean that faith, traditions, canons, dogma, and fasts have no meaning in life. Fasting is needed so that we can cultivate in ourselves genuine joy in the Born and Resurrected Christ. And each of us, to the best of our ability spiritual experience, knows how the Lord sends us this quiet joy, when, on the one hand, through feasible work, spiritual eyes are opened, and you see and feel the impurity in your soul, but at the same time you hope that God will cleanse you from it and save you. Time for change Lent is always a time for change. Everyone sets some goals for themselves this period. The goals are different, big and small. It all depends on the spiritual maturity of a person: some plan to attend church services more, others gather the courage to read in the morning and evening prayer rule instead of short prayers, still others are trying to strictly observe fasting, and some will give up sweets during this time... When setting goals for ourselves, we must clearly understand why we are going to do something. If our plans do not have Christ, they will not change our life, our soul. You can just as easily use fasting for weight loss and dieting, which is what some do. This post is intended for something else. He gives us the opportunity to make up for lost good deeds, so that the heart becomes softer, kinder, brighter: to visit elderly and sick parents whom we have not seen long time, be condescending towards the shortcomings of your neighbor (after all, you have many more of them), help a friend who has been waiting for your help for a long time, say hello to your neighbors, hug someone who needs your support, say at least a few friendly words to your acquaintances during the day... Consciously decorating your fast days with light colors, Living them in love and joy, we will approach the Birthday of our Lord not empty-handed, but with small and large gifts, gifts of our heart, our changed soul. And the Divine Infant, rejoicing in our aspirations and zeal, will prepare for everyone joyful meeting and will graciously present the gift of feeling the power of His Divine love. magazine "Orthodox Life"
Nativity Fast (Filippov Fast, in common parlance in Filippovka) - established in honor of the Nativity of Christ. Observed from November 15 (28) to December 24 (January 6).
In Orthodox churches of the Byzantine tradition, the Nativity Fast is one of four multi-day fasts church year and serves as a 40-day preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of Christ.
Observed from November 15 (28) to December 24 (January 6) inclusive and ends with the holiday of the Nativity of Christ. The fast (the eve of fasting) - November 14 (27) - falls on the day of remembrance of the holy Apostle Philip, therefore the fast is also called Philip's fast. If the spell falls on one-day posts, Wednesday or Friday, then it moves to November 13 (26).
Instructions of the Holy Fathers on fasting
“Do not limit the benefits of fasting to abstinence in food, because true fasting is elimination of evil deeds... Forgive your neighbor’s insult, forgive him his debts. You do not eat meat, but you offend your brother... True fasting is the removal of evil, abstinence of the tongue, suppression of anger, excommunication of lusts, slander, lies and perjury. Abstaining from this is true fasting."
“Abstinence from food, observed for show, is hated by the soul of the Lord; but abstinence, used to enslave carnal wisdom, is loved by the Lord, because through exhaustion of the flesh it brings about sanctification.”
“One must fast moderately and provide the body with the most necessary help, but in such a way that it is not voluptuousness that guides the choice of food, but reason with all severity in determining the need. For with such a spiritual disposition, the one who eats food turns out to be in no way inferior in wisdom to the one who does not eat, and by intention he observes not only unceasing fasting, but also non-eating, and by caring for the body he deserves praise as the best steward.”
“We must pay attention so that, by excessive abstinence, weakening bodily strength, we do not make the body lazy and inactive for the most important activities... I think that a sign of the best stewardship is to follow the established regulations.”
“Fasting is an ancient gift; fasting is the treasure of fathers. He is contemporary with humanity. Fasting is legal in heaven. Adam accepted this first commandment: “You shall not tear down the tree which you understand is good and evil” (Gen. 2:17). And this: don’t take it down is the legalization of fasting and abstinence.”
“If Eve had fasted and not eaten of the tree, then we would not now have the need to fast. “For they do not require the health of a doctor, but the sick” (Matthew 9:12). We are damaged by sin; Let us be healed by repentance, and repentance without fasting is not effective. “Cursed is the ground...thorns and thistles will grow for you” (Genesis 3:17-18). It is ordered to be contrite in spirit, and not to indulge in luxury. By fasting, be justified before God."
“Fasting is the mother of humility, the source of all wisdom; fasting is the mother of all blessings, the teacher of chastity and all virtues"
“Fasting from alms takes its firmness... If you fast without alms, then your fast is not fasting, and such a person is worse than a glutton and a drunkard, and, moreover, as much as cruelty is worse than luxury.”
“Just as a bird cannot fly without the help of wings, so fasting cannot flow without its two wings - prayer and alms. Look at Cornelius, how he, along with fasting, also possessed these wings. That’s why he heard a voice come to him from heaven: “Cornelius, your prayers and your alms have risen” (Acts 10:3-4).”
“Prayer should always be combined with fasting... And prayers are performed with attention, especially during fasting, because then the soul is lighter, not burdened by anything, and not suppressed by the disastrous burden of pleasures.”
“A person who fasts must abstain from food, but first of all from sins... I would call the one who eats a thousand times more blessed than the one who fasts and commits untruths. I say this not to destroy fasting, but to call for piety. It’s not food that’s evil, it’s sin that’s evil.”
“Let there be no excess; This greatly contributes to the health and strength of our body. Do you not see that countless diseases arise from luxurious tables and excessive saturation? Where do the diseases in the legs come from? Where do head diseases come from? Where does the multiplication of spoiled phlegm come from? Where do countless other diseases come from? Is it not from immoderation? Just as an overcrowded ship soon sinks and sinks, so a person, having given himself over to gluttony and drunkenness, rushes into the abyss, drowns his mind, and finally lies like a living corpse, often still able to do something bad, but no more capable of good than the dead. »
“The purpose of fasting is pure communion. For this reason, the fathers extended the field of fasting and gave us a time of repentance, so that we, having cleansed and washed ourselves, would thus proceed to the Sacrament. That’s why I am now calling out with a loud voice, testifying, asking and begging - not with an unclean, not with a vicious conscience to approach this sacred meal, because otherwise it will not be communion... but condemnation, torment and increased punishment.”
“There are many people who, preparing to fight fasting, seem to wild beast, they protect themselves with gluttony, and, having burdened and darkened themselves to the extreme, they very unreasonably meet the quiet and meek face of fasting. And if I ask you: why are you going to the bathhouse today? - you will say: in order to meet the post with a clean body. And if I ask: why are you drunk? - you will say again: because I am preparing to enter into fasting. But isn’t it strange to meet this most beautiful fast with a clean body, but with an unclean and intoxicated soul?”
“We should do this: not just go through the weeks of fasting, but examine our conscience, test our thoughts, and notice what we managed to do this week, what the next, what new things we tried to achieve the next, and what passions we have corrected from. If we do not correct ourselves in this way and show such concern for our soul, then we will not benefit from the fasting and abstinence to which we subject ourselves.”
“Besides abstaining from food, there are many ways that can open the doors of boldness before God. He who eats food and cannot fast, let him give abundant alms, let him say fervent prayers, let him show intense zeal for listening to the word of God - here bodily weakness does not hinder us in the least - let him make peace with his enemies, let him expel from his soul all memory of malice . If he does this, he will commit a true fast, the kind that the Lord requires of us. After all, He commands abstinence from food itself so that we, by curbing the lusts of the flesh, make it obedient in fulfilling the commandments.”
“Fasting, like a doctor of our souls, humbles the flesh of one Christian, and tames the anger of another; drives away sleep from one, stimulates another to greater good deeds; For one, it cleanses the mind and makes it free from evil thoughts; for another, it binds the uncontrollable tongue and with the fear of God, like a bridle, restrains it, not allowing it to speak idle and rotten words; and for others it does not allow the eyes to look here and there and be curious about what one or the other is doing, but it forces everyone to listen to himself.”
“Fasting is the beginning and foundation of every spiritual work. Whatever virtues you create on the basis of fasting, they will all be unshakable and unshakable, like those written on solid stone. And when you accept this foundation, that is, fasting, and in its place you put satiation of the belly and other inappropriate desires, then all the virtues will be shaken and blown away from bad thoughts and from the flow of passions, like sand blown by the wind, and the entire edifice of virtue collapses.”
“It is written in the law that God commanded the children of Israel to tithe every year of all that they acquired, and by doing so they were blessed in all their deeds. Knowing this, St. The apostles established... that we separate the tithe from the very days of our life and dedicate it to God: so that we, too, may thus receive a blessing on all our deeds, and annually cleanse the sins we have committed during the year. Having reasoned this way, they consecrated to us the seven weeks of Lent.”
“There are two types of gluttony: laryngeal madness and gluttony. The first type is when a person seeks the pleasures of food; he does not always want to eat a lot, but he desires something tasty and is overcome by its pleasant taste. Gluttony is polyeating, when a person does not care about the taste of food, but strives to fill his belly.”
“Whoever fasts out of vanity or believing that he is performing virtue fasts unreasonably and therefore begins to reproach his brother afterwards, considering himself to be someone significant. But whoever fasts wisely does not think that he is doing a good deed wisely, and does not want to be praised as a faster.”
“Concerning the image of fasting, it cannot be conveniently observed same rule... - the time, method and quality of nutrition must be different, precisely due to the unequal condition of the bodies, or according to age and gender; but everyone should have one rule for taming the flesh to control the heart and strengthen the spirit.”
“Strict fasts become in vain when they are followed by excessive consumption of food, which soon leads to the vice of gluttony.”
“One should be considered a suicide who does not change the strict rules of abstinence even when it is necessary to strengthen weakened strength by eating food.”
“Tighten your belly with abstinence, and thereby stop your mouth; for the tongue takes strength from many foods"
“The living memory of death prevents intemperance in food; and when intemperance in food is stopped with humility, then other passions are cut off at the same time.”
“When we are full, the spirit of gluttony departs and sends the spirit of prodigal upon us, informing it in what state we are in, and saying: “Go and stir up such and such; his belly is full, and therefore you will labor a little.” This one, having come, smiles and, having tied our hands and feet to sleep, does whatever he wants with us.”
“Whoever serves his own belly, and yet wants to overcome the spirit of fornication, is like someone who extinguishes a fire with oil.”
“Just as healthy eyes are characterized by a desire for light, so a fast observed with prudence is characterized by a desire for prayer.”
“He who is clothed in the weapon of fasting is at all times inflamed with jealousy. For even the zealot Elijah, when he was zealous for the law of God, remained in this matter - in fasting"
“From the meal of those who fast... borrow for yourself the medicine of life, and awaken your soul from deadness. For among them, sanctifying them, the Beloved reclines, and the labor of fasting and their deeds transforms them into His inscrutable sweetness; and His heavenly servants overshadow them and their holy dishes. I know one of the brothers who clearly saw this with his own eyes."
“There is physical fasting, and there is mental fasting. Bodily fasting is when the belly fasts from food and drink; spiritual fasting is when the soul abstains from evil thoughts, deeds and words. A good faster is one who shuns all evil. If you, Christian, want fasting to be useful to you, then, while fasting physically, fast also mentally, and fast always.”
“It is appropriate to proportion the way of bodily nutrition to the state of strength and strength of the body: when it is healthy, oppress it as much as necessary, and when it is weak, relax it a little. The ascetic should not relax his body, but be as strong as is required for the ascetic endeavor, so that even though bodily labors the soul is also properly cleansed.”
St. Asterius of Amasia
“Fasting is the teacher of moderation, the mother of virtue, the educator of the children of God, the leader of the disorderly, the calm of souls, the support of life, the peace of lasting and unperturbed; its severity and importance pacifies passions, extinguishes anger and rage, cools and calms all sorts of unrest that arise from overeating.”
Rev. Macarius of Optina
“We must be, according to the teaching of the holy fathers, not body-killers, but passion-killers, that is, destroy the passions in ourselves.”
holy Tikhon, Patriarch of Moscow
“The Apostle Paul said: if one of the unbelievers calls you and you want to go, then eat everything that is offered to you without any examination, for peace of conscience (1 Cor. 10:27) - for the sake of the person who welcomed you cordially.”
“Irrational people are jealous of the fasting and labors of saints with wrong understanding and intention and think that they are passing through virtue. The devil, guarding them as his prey, plunges into them the seed of a joyful opinion about himself, from which the inner Pharisee is born and nurtured and betrays such to complete pride.”
What is blessed at meals during the Nativity (Philippov) Fast?
Instructions for the Nativity Fast meal
According to the rules of abstinence, the Nativity Fast is close to Peter's Fast. According to the church charter, meat, dairy products and eggs are excluded on all days of fasting. In addition, it is prescribed:
- on Tuesdays, Thursdays - hot food with vegetable oil;
- on Saturdays and Sundays - hot vegetable food with vegetable oil, fish, wine;
- November 21 (December 4), the Feast of the Entry into the Temple Holy Mother of God- hot vegetable food with vegetable oil, fish, wine;
From December 20 (January 2) to December 23 (January 5) inclusive (the period of the pre-celebration of the Nativity of Christ):
- on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays - dry eating;
- on Tuesdays and Thursdays, on Saturdays and Sundays - hot food with vegetable oil;
- December 24 (January 6), on Christmas Eve - hot food with vegetable oil (according to the Charter); In addition, according to custom, they eat sochivo (kolivo) - a sweet porridge made from wheat, rice or other cereals, usually only after Vespers.
On those days when wine is allowed, it is meant to be consumed in moderation.
The middle of a multi-day fast is a difficult time for many. The enthusiasm with which we started fasting has cooled down, the body is somewhat tired of the restrictions, and it is becoming increasingly difficult to resist the bustle of the world, which acquires a special scope in the days before the New Year. And some fell into despondency, grieving over their weakness. This is where you need support, a wise spiritual word and guidance. We are publishing a selection of statements by holy fathers and ascetics about the meaning and importance of fasting, highlighting their instructions on fasting for children, which are especially relevant now. I did not forget about this spiritual work and folk wisdom- proverbs about fasting are an example of this.
Sayings about fasting
“This is the fast that I have chosen: loose the chains of unrighteousness, untie the bands of the yoke, and set the oppressed free, and break every yoke; divide your bread with the hungry, and bring the wandering poor into your home.”
(Isa. 58:6-7)
“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 you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you may appear to those who are fasting, not before men, but before your Father, who is in secret; and your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you openly.”
(Matt. 6:16-18)
“When you fast, destroy every alliance of unrighteousness and tear apart every unrighteous record. Break your bread to the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; if you see a naked person, put it on. Then your early light will appear and your garments will quickly shine; and your righteousness will precede you, and the glory of God will follow you.”
Apostle Barnabas
“Keep a fast: first of all, abstain from every bad word and evil lust, and cleanse your heart from all the vanities of this world. If you keep this, the fast will be righteous.”
Shepherd Hermas
“Fasting is food for the soul, and just as bodily food fattens the body, so fasting strengthens the soul, gives it easy flight, makes it capable of rising to heights and thinking about higher things, and places it above pleasures and amenities real life»
“Just as light ships quickly cross the seas, but those burdened with a large load drown, so fasting, making our mind lighter, helps it quickly cross the sea of real life, strive for the sky and for heavenly objects and not respect the present, but consider it more insignificant than shadows and sleepy dreams"
Saint John Chrysostom
“Fasting is the teacher of moderation, the mother of virtue, the educator of the children of God, the leader of the disorderly, the calm of souls, the support of life, the peace of lasting and unperturbed; its severity and importance pacifies passions, extinguishes anger and rage, cools and calms all sorts of unrest that arise from overeating.”
Saint Asterius of Amasia
“The more days of fasting, the better the healing; the longer the period of abstinence, the more abundant the acquisition of salvation. During the days of fasting, mainly the Divinity is propitiated, the deficiency is made up and piety is rewarded.”
St. Augustine
“We must not only observe moderation in food, but also refrain from any other sin, so that, just as we fast with the belly, we also fast with the tongue, refraining from slander, from lies, from idle talk, from humiliation, from anger and, in a word, from every sin committed by the tongue. One must also fast with the eyes, that is, not look at vain things, not give freedom to the eyes, and not look at anyone shamelessly and without fear. Likewise, hands and feet must be kept from every evil deed.”
Venerable Dorotheos of Palestine
“Fasting is the beginning and foundation of all spiritual work. Whatever virtues you create on the basis of fasting, they will all be unshakable and unshakable, like those written on solid stone. And when you reject this foundation, that is, fasting, and in its place you put satiation of the belly and other inappropriate desires, then all the virtues will be shaken and blown away from bad thoughts and from the flow of passions, like sand blown by the wind, and the entire edifice of virtue collapses.”
“Fasting, like a doctor of our souls, humbles the flesh of one Christian, and tames the anger of another; drives away sleep from one, stimulates another to greater good deeds; For one, it cleanses the mind and makes it free from evil thoughts; for another, it binds the uncontrollable tongue and with the fear of God, like a bridle, restrains it, not allowing it to speak idle and rotten words; and for others it does not allow the eyes to look here and there and be curious about what one or the other is doing, but it forces everyone to listen to himself.”
Venerable Simeon the New Theologian
“There is physical fasting, and there is mental fasting. Bodily fasting is when the belly fasts from food and drink; spiritual fasting is when the soul abstains from evil thoughts, deeds and words. A good faster is one who shuns all evil. If you, Christian, want fasting to be useful to you, then, while fasting physically, fast also mentally, and fast always.”
Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk
“Let us make fasting the basis of our feat. The essential quality of any foundation must be unshakable firmness: otherwise it is impossible for a building to stand on it, no matter how strong the building itself is. And we will never, never, under any pretext allow ourselves to break our fast through satiety, especially drunkenness.”
Saint Ignatius (Brianchaninov)
“Fasting seems gloomy until you enter into its field: but begin, and you will see that it is light after night, freedom after bonds, privilege after a painful life.”
“The law of fasting is this: to abide in God with your mind and heart, with renunciation from everything, cutting off all pleasures for yourself, not only in the physical, but also in the spiritual, doing everything for the glory of God and the good of your neighbors, willingly and lovingly bearing the labors and hardships of fasting, in food, sleep, rest, in the comforts of mutual communication"
Saint Theophan the Recluse
“Fasting, as an incitement to prayer, is somehow especially hateful to the enemy: they come to me for advice or for confession - by the way, I advise you to observe holy fasts. They agree with everything, but when it comes to fasting: I don’t want to, I can’t, and so on and so forth... This is how the enemy hates holy fasting: he incites people against fasting, he doesn’t want the holy fasts to be observed.”
Venerable Barsanuphius of Optina
“It is necessary for a Christian to fast in order to clarify the mind and arouse and develop feelings, and motivate the will to good activity. We overshadow and suppress these three human abilities most of all through overeating, drunkenness and the worries of life, and through this we fall away from the source of life - God and fall into corruption and vanity, perverting and desecrating the image of God in ourselves.”
“Fasting well shows or reveals all the infirmities of our soul, all its weaknesses, shortcomings, sins and passions, just as muddy, stagnant water that begins to purify reveals what kind of reptiles are found in it or what quality of rubbish”
Saint righteous John Kronstadt
“As long as this or that person only thinks about God, he is in no way able to resist the demons, who do nothing but mock the weak secular wisdom. But as soon as he begins to fast and pray to God, the same demons are filled with indescribable fear. In a person who approaches God with sincere prayer and with patience and hope, the feat of abstinence will take place; the demons will become cramped, unbearable - and they will hasten to leave him.”
“An always well-fed body usually shows an always hungry soul. He who fasts feeds his soul. The more a person fasts, the more he reduces worries about his body and increases the joy of his soul. It is not enough to just say and just hear; this becomes clear by itself when a person tries to do this and applies it in life.”
Saint Nicholas of Serbia
“Fasting is abstinence from everything harmful to us, from everything that corrupts our soul, that is, from passions that lie at the basis of all our sins... To overcome all passions, without exception, it is necessary to learn abstinence. Without physical fasting this cannot be achieved. Just as in school students are gradually led from lower knowledge to higher knowledge, from the alphabet to higher mathematics, so abstinence must begin with the alphabet, with curbing one’s belly.”
"How tall statesman must vigilantly observe everything that happens so that nothing happens to the detriment of what is entrusted to him, so our fast is standing guard over the soul. Fasting is careful observation so that nothing harms our soul. Fasting is observing one’s thoughts, protecting one’s gaze from harmful sights, one’s hearing from soul-damaging conversations, one’s tongue from foul and empty words, one’s lips from inappropriate food.”
Saint John of Shanghai
“For healthy young men, abstinence is the strongest rein against passions, necessary for the spirit to reign and peace to reign. Then, in the purity of their hearts, they can look at people purely, as Angels look at Angels. Those who do not abstain and live unbridled even look at the Angels carnally, like the inhabitants of Sodom who have moved away from God. The natural consequence of this is that those who love their well-fed flesh and the comforts of life love people carnally and are spiritually destroyed by their own flesh.”
“In the Nativity Fast, let us prepare ourselves with strict discipline of the mind, carefully testing the movements of the heart: how do we relate to others, to ourselves, to God, how do we learn from the Church prayer, worship and obedience to God’s commandments?
And we will also be more attentive than we usually do to compliance physical rules post. They are designed to help us shake off laxity and self-indulgence, awaken sensitivity and vigor in us, and prevent us from becoming numb in our earthiness, which prevents us from soaring to God. Follow these rules, prepare carefully throughout the Nativity Fast, awaiting the coming of the Lord, but not passively, but in that state of collected wakefulness with which the sentry on guard awaits the arrival of his Queen or King. Let us remember that to be in the presence of God is the greatest honor, the most sacred thing that can happen to us.”
Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh
“Fasting is the mother of health, educator of youth, adornment of the elderly, a good companion for travelers, a reliable companion for spouses... Fasting is the most decent attire for women, a bridle in the prime of life, protection of marriage, educator of virginity. Fasting banishes immodest speech, songs, and ridicule. If fasting were to rule the universe, it would be deep world, and life would not be so deplorable and full of sorrow, because fasting, teaching people to abstain from excess in foods, would also teach them to completely avoid vices.”
Archimandrite Kirill (Pavlov)
Fasting and children
“The child must be nourished in such a way that, while developing the life of the body, giving him strength and health, he does not kindle carnal desires in the soul. It should not be considered that the child is small; it is necessary from the first years to begin to calm down the flesh, which is prone to coarse matter, and to accustom the child to mastery over it, so that in adolescence, in youth, and after them, one can easily and freely cope with this need. The first starter is very expensive. From baby food a lot depends on what happens next. You can imperceptibly develop voluptuousness and excess in food - two types of gluttony, these inclinations that are destructive to the body and soul, instilled in food.”
Saint Theophan the Recluse
“Do not belittle the importance of fasting, teach children to fast from the very beginning. early age... Many do not understand, and do not observe fasts themselves, and children are not taught to observe them; and not only do they not teach, but they also set a pernicious example of violating fasting... During fasting, a mother feeds her children meat and says: “Eat, eat, children! It's okay, it's a post. God sees that we always eat poorly. God will forgive, God will not punish you for this...” Oh no, he will punish you if you corrupt your children! Every mother from an early age should teach her children to fast, as it was in the old days, when all our people observed fasts. Don’t forget about fasting, but firmly, firmly, like Small child hold on to your mother’s hem, adhere to all the statutes of the Church.”
Saint Luke (Voino-Yasenetsky)
“Today people follow worldly logic: “Children don’t need to fast so they don’t get sick, they should have enough of everything, they need to be protected from difficulties.” That’s how they live, poor fellows, demanding cutlets all the time, but that’s of no use to them. When a person rejoices that he does not eat for the love of Christ, then he is truly nourished. If, for the sake of the love of Christ, he prefers the tasteless to the tasty, then through the tasteless he enjoys Christ.”
Venerable Paisiy Svyatogorets
Proverbs and sayings about fasting
The only salvation is fasting and prayer.
Fasting leads to the gates of heaven, and almsgiving opens them.
Past the bridge - into the river, past the post - you won’t live to see it.
If the soul were glad to fast, the body would rebel.
Maslenitsa is not all for the cat - Lent has arrived
Lent will put its tail between its legs.
We fast all the time, but we’re no good!
They don’t die from fasting, but from gluttony they die.
Whoever fasts during all four fasts receives all four evangelists.
During fasting, food is simple.
So much has already been said about fasting, about its meaning, about goals and methods, measure and understanding, by our holy fathers. Orthodox Church, and our kind mentors, shepherds and nurturers, there is practically nothing to add. Therefore, I dare to speak not about the fast itself, but about the favorable time at which it falls, and how we can avoid losing ourselves during this time...
Is it bad for everyone to unite with everyone?
For more than a year now, those who have been making considerable efforts to forget the covenants and heritage of our mentors who are firm in the faith and, for the sake of the world, try not to change themselves for the Church, but to change the Church for themselves, have come out with urgent recommendations to switch to a new calendar. How wonderful it would be, they repeat in unison, if we celebrated the Nativity of our Lord before the New Year! Then all Orthodox Christians could share the joy of this bright holiday with the whole country, with Catholics, and with the whole world in general!
How wonderful it would be if we celebrated Christmas before the New Year!
And really - is it bad for everyone to unite with everyone?
But it happens that it can be bad, because you should always first consider what and for what this unity is happening.
And I propose to consider this issue using the example of these two holidays: the Nativity of Christ and the New Year.
Orthodox Christians have a holiday almost every day! Sometimes they even laugh at us, they say, look at these people, almost every day they greet each other like this: “Happy Holidays!” And it’s true - there is almost not a day when the Holy Church does not honor the memory of one of the martyrs, or the righteous, or the saints, or the apostles... Not to mention Sundays, about the Great Holidays.
But among all these holidays, I would especially highlight two: Light Christ's Resurrection And . The first is generally called the Feast of Feasts, and the second is one of the Great Twelve. Let's talk about the second one...
It is difficult for us to imagine the degree of humility of the Lord
Nativity. What happened? Why does this event eclipse almost everything in the Universe?
Yes, the fact is that if this event, this great mystery - the Incarnation - had not happened, there would have been no salvation for people, that is, for us.
Here is what the Monk Justin Popovich writes:
“Truly God, like a man, was born on earth! Why? – So that we may receive life through Him (1 John 4:9). For without the God-man, the Lord Jesus Christ, human life is entirely and completely suicidal nonsense, death, truly the most obvious and most terrible nonsense on earth. To comprehend death means to comprehend life in all its depths, heights, and infinities. And this is done only by the All-mankind Lord, Who through immeasurable love becomes a man and forever remains the God-man in human world. Human life only as God-life, life in God, acquires its eternal meaning. And outside of God, life is the most absurd nonsense, full of resentment and bitterness.”
It is difficult for us to imagine and understand the degree of humility of the Lord. This is how we reason:
- Well, the baby was born, well, yes, in a barn, actually, with cattle. But are there many people who were born into similar poverty, and perhaps even greater?
The Lord Almighty humbled himself to the point that he took upon himself our flesh
Oh, you wretched man! Yes, man is born from man - and then he grumbles! And here is the Lord Almighty! He humbled himself to the point that he took upon himself our flesh, not for his own sake - for our sake, for the sake of the creature created by Him, disobeying Him and often cursing Him, betraying Him, forgetting Him, our Creator! And how did He come to become a man? Not a king, not a high priest, not a great ruler... a small, defenseless baby! Just imagine - a lump that fits in the palms of your hands, where you put it - it lies there, as you swaddle it, it will accept it - and this is the One who created everything with His Word!
The Virgin is giving birth today to the Most Essential,
and the earth brings a den to the Unapproachable;
Angels and shepherds praise,
the wolves travel with the star,
For our sake, a young boy was born,
eternal God
(Kontakion, tone 3).
This is the day that awaits us, this is the holiday at the end of the fasting period! This is the kind of celebration we are preparing for - the meeting of the Lord of the Universe, who took upon Himself our flesh so that we could be deified!
It would be better if the holiday was postponed so that New Year don't fast
What do our Orthodox brothers and sisters tell us?
– It would be better if the holiday was postponed earlier, so as not to fast on New Year...
And, it would seem, what bad would happen?
But I will say that something bad would happen, and in such reasoning itself there is an evil root.
Celebrations of the Christmas tree are valued no less than the Feast of the Nativity of Christ
Such sadness about the need to fast on New Year's Eve suggests that celebrations around the New Year tree are valued, if not higher, then certainly no less than the Feast of the Nativity of Christ. Indeed - if New Year didn’t feel important compared to Christmas Christ's holiday, then the frustrations and lamentations would not have happened. It would pass unnoticed, like some day of lovers exhaust gases or cardboard boxes... But no, their New Year celebrations are high! And so high that the fact that they occur on fasting days causes dissatisfaction and irritation.
And why is there sadness? Is this day especially worthwhile in a series of other days? No, unless the person himself makes it special, then it will not stand out among the days of others. If a person shows mercy to someone, he will make this day good for himself; if he indulges in festivities and idle rejoicing, he will make it evil.
“Have you not heard the words of Paul: you look at the days, and the months, and the seasons, and the summers. I am afraid for you, because I labored in vain in you (Gal. 4:10–11)? Extremely crazy one at a time happy day expect the same for the whole year; and not only from madness, but also from the devil’s influence comes the idea that in the affairs of your life you need to rely not on your own zeal and activity, but on the daily circulation of time. The year will be happy for you in everything, not if you get drunk on the first day, but if on the first and every day you do what is pleasing to God.
So, if you want to benefit from the beginning of new months, then do this: at the end of the year, thank the Lord for preserving you until this limit of years; Contrite your heart, count the time of your life, and say to yourself: the days run and pass; the years are ending; We have already completed a lot of our journey; what good have we done? Are we really going to leave here without everything, without any virtue? The court is at the door, the rest of life is heading towards old age.”
It is not for nothing that the evil one persuades a person, especially an Orthodox one, to carry out New Year's Eve in idleness, abundant eating of food and libations of wine. On New Year's Eve, the Holy Church commemorates the martyr Boniface, to whom we all pray for deliverance from addiction to alcohol and drunkenness. Is it possible to imagine a greater absurdity on the verge of madness than an Orthodox drunk, at a hearty meal, on the feast of this saint? Wouldn't it be more natural for him to celebrate this day at church services (especially since the day and many that follow it are free from work)?
Our entire fast is that we refuse the humble
Rejoicing at the onset of Lent, I want to talk a little more about the features of the calendar...
We should not be sad that New Year's celebration falls on the days of fasting, but rejoice! In this I see God’s special mercy towards us, unworthy of such mercy.
Is any of us now capable of, I won’t say great, but at least some kind of feats? We hardly consider ourselves, we do not study, we do not educate the will, which lies in the mud of our passions, entangled in them and cannot even raise the top of our head from under these nets. Our whole fast, in the best case, consists in the fact that we mostly refuse the modest thing, and maybe someone will take upon themselves the feat of adding a canon, or an akathist, or a kathisma to the daily rule. Actually, this is not a post at all. But we believe that we are fasting and that we are working.
We won’t eat the fast food (maybe), but we will deceive ourselves with lean mayonnaise and soy meat and other “cheats”, instead of simply excluding from the diet the taste sensations we are accustomed to (as from the same mayonnaise, meat, and the like) - and even this will not yet be a real fast.
But the merciful Lord sees right through us. And, like a child-loving Father, he loves us and in every possible way desires our salvation. And he arranges it for us where we do not even know - if only we would not grumble, if only we would listen to Him and follow His Holy Will! And the fact that the New Year holiday comes before the Feast of the Nativity of Christ is also arranged according to His good Providence!
We are unable to endure deeds and labors ourselves, no matter how small, but the Lord gives us this opportunity. He arranged these days in such a way that we, if not out of our own zeal, then perhaps out of shame in front of our brothers and sisters, will be forced to abstain from the New Year's frenzy and fun!
We are not ready for confession, but, by the grace of God, perhaps, only for the sake of shame in front of the views of other Orthodox Christians who are better than us, we will force ourselves to be at least to a small extent disunited with the world and reject part of what it offers on this day, namely - indulge in unbridled joy, abundant meals, drunkenness with wine and night orgies.
Perhaps, if not the desire for free will and zeal for the Lord, then shame before the priest (I’m talking about the memory of the upcoming Confession on Christmas Eve) will force the Orthodox on this day not to subordinate himself to the world, but to preserve for the perception of spiritual joy from the mother of all holidays - the Feast of the Nativity of Christ!
Let's fast with a pleasant fast!
