Fasting occupies a very important place in Orthodox spirituality, and without it, there is no progress in any Christian virtue.
In the ancient past, the term fasting encompassed complete abstinence from any food, only to later take on the meaning of abstaining from a type of food called "fatty", ie one that contains animal fats, but, in certain periods, from food that is prepared on vegetable fats.
Thus, purely fasting foods include bread, vegetables, fruits, and various other fruits. A special type of fasting is "dry eating", which means using only uncooked, ie dry fasting food.
We find fasting in many religions, although it is only in the Orthodox Christian tradition that it gets its full spiritual meaning and does not refer only to bodily abstinence, but also implies the work of the soul in virtues. Fasting also existed in the Old Testament Church and it expressed man's conversion to God, his contrition, and repentance. By fasting, man humbles himself before his Creator. The bodily labor of fasting spiritually prepares the soul to seek help from God through prayer.
God's command to fast was given to the ancestor Adam in paradise. Only when he violated the commandment of fasting, Adam fell into lust and pride. Therefore, the commandment to fast is an integral part of the Law that the Lord passed on to the Jewish people through the prophet Moses.
He fasted in every trouble and sorrow, during the danger of war and suffering, whenever it was necessary to pray for God's mercy.
Even the ancient prophets taught us that only that bodily fast that is accompanied by abstinence from every evil deed, word, and thought is pleasing to God. There are many examples of God-pleasing fasting in the New Testament as well. The Lord Jesus Christ himself fasted for 40 days and nights before the beginning of his sermon on the coming of the Kingdom of Heaven. The Lord teaches us to fast secretly, without hypocrisy, unlike the Pharisees who wanted to gain human glory through their public fasting.
The meaning of fasting
The main goal of fasting is the purification of the soul and body from bodily and spiritual passions, as well as the glorification of God and his saints.
True fasting, therefore, has two sides, physical and spiritual, and consists of abstaining from greasy food as well as abstaining from evil thoughts, desires, and deeds, multiplying prayers, charities, and performing all evangelical virtues. Therefore, St. Basil warns: "Do not limit the benefits of fasting only to abstaining from food, because true fasting is moving away from evil deeds." Fasting restrains lust and indulgence.
However, at the same time, it frees a person from the tyranny of mental passions and evil thoughts.
It purifies the human mind and raises it to the heavens. Pure and collected prayer and the acquisition of any Christian virtue are impossible without mental and physical fasting. However, the most important goal of fasting is to gain communion with the living God with its help. Without spiritual purity, which is achieved, among other things, and regular fasting, it is not possible to get closer to God and obtain pure prayer, and thus become partakers of God's grace.
Here is how St. John Chrysostom teaches what true fasting is: "You say to fast. Convince me of that with your deeds. And what are those works? If you see a poor man, give him alms. If you meet your enemy, make peace with him. If you see a beautiful face on the street, look away from it. So, not only fast with your stomach, but also with your eyes and ears, and your arms and legs and all the limbs of your body. Let your hands fast, refraining from all greed and theft.
Let your feet fast so that you will not walk in the ways of sin. Let the eyes fast so that they will not passionately look at beautiful faces or look at other people's goods in envy. You say you don't eat meat. But be careful not to swallow lustfully with your eyes what you see around you. Fast and your hearing without listening to gossip and intrigue. Fast with your mouth and tongue and refrain from ugly words and jokes. What good is it if we do not eat meat and fish, but bite and devour our neighbors? "
Saint Photius, Patriarch of Constantinople, says: "Fasting, which is pleasing to God, is one that means, in addition to abstaining from food and abstaining from all sin, hatred, envy, gossip, inappropriate jokes, nonsense, and other evils." He who fasts only physically, without striving in virtue, resembles a man who built a beautiful house but lives in it with snakes and scorpions. "
Fasting is inextricably linked with alms, and that is why old Christian writers teach us that the excess money we save on a moderate diet during the period of fasting can be given as alms to the poor and sick, thus depriving the body of the necessary soul.
During Lent, we need to feed our souls more with prayer and the word of God than with our food and bodily pleasures. The Lord teaches us in the Gospel that evil spirits are cast out only by fasting and prayer. That is why the Church, during Lent, encourages its believers to pray more earnestly, both in temples and in personal prayers at home.
It is not enough to fast only with deeds and words, but also with thoughts. What is the use of unclean deeds when we passionately fantasize about them and enjoy them?
Prayer with bodily fasting is the strongest weapon for fighting passionate thoughts and fantasies. During Lent, believers should avoid all celebrations and parties, and spouses should avoid physical intercourse. Weddings are not performed during Lent, and it is good to minimize watching TV and radio during that period and use that time to read the Holy Scriptures and other religious books.
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@Andjela99
