ππΎππΎππΎ The Power of #Fasting
Dear respected members who follow Orthodox education and spiritual services on John's Repentance website, today we are sharing an important lesson on the subject from the book "Orthodox Mind" written by Deacon Yohannes Getachew. We urge you to read and learn from it.
People who do not understand the power of fasting may consider it trivial and useless. However, the ignorance of people can never eliminate the greatness of fasting. We do not have to be outside of fasting to understand its power. We distinguish the taste of food by tasting, not by hearing, so it is not surprising that its taste is not known if one does not taste it while fasting. Some people want to deny its importance and convince others that it is useless. In fact, even a delicious meal tasted by a sick person does not taste good. It is not because the food is not tasty, but because the person who tasted it is sick.
The blindness of the outer eye does not hinder the brightness of the inner wine. But we must realize that the blindness of the inner eye has the power to blind the outer eye as well. Although fasting is hated by gluttons, if they knew the harm of their gluttony and used fasting as a medicine, they would understand its power to keep diseases away. Without understanding the power of fasting, we should be careful not to expose ourselves to diseases of the body and soul by abstaining from fasting. Saint Jared explains the greatness of fasting with wonder - "Look at the greatness and glory of fasting, it is sorrow for fools and joy for the wise." This clearly indicates that the power of fasting is defined by the wise. People who live in laziness and indifference may not understand the power of fasting because their desires divert their vision. In fact, the scholar said, "Fasting is a bridle; its fruit is sweet." Therefore, let us not underestimate fasting and make it easy. He advises us not to misunderstand it because of our laziness. So, fools may perceive its taste as bitter, but let us pray for them for the harm caused by distancing themselves from fasting, and let us not be carried away by their ignorance.
Saint Jared says, "Fasting has great benefits; it frees the soul from sin; it teaches the youth to be righteous and self-controlled. Fasting is holy; it brings peace; it gives happiness to the person who does it." Let us remember that we have lost peace, chastity, happiness, and favor in our lives because we spend most of our time in gluttony outside of fasting. Let us realize that our glory and beauty are within fasting due to God's grace.
The apostles explained to us the power of fasting in this way: "Furthermore, those who are being baptized should fast before baptism, and those who baptize should also fast if they can. You must tell the baptized person that they should fast one or two days before baptism. Your fasting should never be the same as that of the hypocrites." They explained to us that not only those being baptized but also the baptizer should fast before baptism.
It is clear that this system is made to honor the mystery of baptism and to make us go to the mystery water in purity. Even the baptizer should be armed with the power of fasting to protect themselves from pride or thinking highly of themselves for being a baptizer. The person who is baptized must cleanse their body by fasting so that they do not think of the holy water of baptism as any ordinary water. It should be done in holiness and not in hypocrisy like the Pharisees. The shepherd Herma revealed the greatness and power of fasting: "Fasting is very important, and it makes us keep the commandments of the Lord. (First of all, protect yourself from evil speech, evil will, protect your mind from loving anything of this world. If you refrain from doing these evil things, your fast will be perfect.) He explained to us the greatness of fasting.
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