Fasting

"Moreover when ye fast, be note, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They. have their reward. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly."
--- (Matthew 6, 16-18; cf. Isaiah 58,5)

The crucial reason for fasting is to make us cognizant of our belief and dependence on God to make us appreciate the impact of Christ's statement, "Without me you can do nothing (John 15:5)." Fasting doesn't just include your diet but also your spiritual maintenance. St. John Chrysostom notes that fasting is "abstinence not only from food but from sins. The fast should be kept not by the mouth alone but also by the eye, the ear, the feet m the hands and all the members of the body." But, it is also crucial that you do not judge those who do not observe the fast or do not practice according to tradition. Love God and your neighbor as yourself.

Click here for Fasting Guidelines

Recommended Reading

Fasting in the Orthodox Church, Archimandrite Akakios
The Lenten Triodion, Bishop Kallistos

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