Fasting is never a form of self-punishment.Fasting is never a way to build our heavenly bank account.
Fasting is an act of worship, giving back what we always knew
never really belonged to us, so that God can bestow on us
something greater, Himself.
Fasting is an act of hospitality, cleaning out, emptying some organ or attribute of us, so that God can have more room during His visit.
Fasting is always a deliberate spending, even wasting, of our lives
on the slim chance that we might buy the world for God.
Fasting is always an act of abandonment, even of desertion,
of what we thought or have been told was our post or position in life,
in the hope that we will be proven wrong after all,
and find that God alone was right.
Fasting has little to do with food, but we do sometimes forget to eat while we're doing it.
Fasting is a prerequisite for receiving Holy Communion -- the Body and Blood of Christ. Orthodox Christians fast from meats and dairy products for several days -- and eat and drink nothing on the day they will receive Holy Communion -- because that is the least sacrifice they can make for being empowered by the Holy Eucharest.
ReplyDeleteI have never heard fasting described in this way. You have taken a positive and pro-active approach which totally changes my perspective.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your post, it makes it every so clear. Here is how my husband explained it to me. He wrote it, so I can explain it to classmates who ask: http://my.opera.com/AleksOD/blog/why-do
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