89. Пост

As we see, there is physical fasting, and there is mental fasting. Bodily fasting is when the womb fasts from food and drink. Mental fasting is when the soul abstains from evil thoughts, deeds and words. A fair faster is one who refrains himself from fornication, adultery and all uncleanness. A fair faster is one who abstains from anger, rage, malice and revenge. A fair faster is one who has imposed abstinence on his tongue and keeps it from idle talk, foul language, madness, slander, condemnation, flattery, lies and all slander. A fair faster is one who keeps his hands from theft, theft, and robbery, and his heart from coveting other people's things. In a word, a good faster is one who shuns all evil. You see, Christian, spiritual fasting. Physical fasting is useful for us, since it serves to mortify our passions. But mental fasting is absolutely necessary, because physical fasting is nothing without it. Many fast with the body, but do not fast with the soul. Many fast from food and drink, but do not fast from evil thoughts, deeds and words - and what good does it do them? Many fast every other day, two or more, but out of anger, rancor and revenge they do not want to fast. Many abstain from wine, meat, fish, but with their tongues they bite people like themselves - and what good does it do them? Some often do not touch food with their hands, but extend them to bribery, theft and robbery of other people's property - and what benefit does it do them? True and direct fasting is abstinence from all evil. If, Christian, you want fasting to be useful to you, then, while fasting physically, fast also mentally, and fast always. Just as you impose a fast on your belly, so impose a fast on your evil thoughts and whims. Let your mind fast from vain thoughts. Let the memory fast from rancor. Let your will fast from evil desire. Let your eyes fast from evil vision: “turn away your eyes, so as not to see vanity” * (See Ps. 119:37). May your ears be kept from vile songs and slanderous whispers. Let your tongue fast from slander, condemnation, blasphemy, lies, flattery, foul language, and every idle and rotten word. May your hands fast from beating and stealing other people's property. Let your feet fast from going to evil deeds. “Turn away from evil and do good" (Ps. 33:15; 1 Peter 3:11). This is the Christian fast that God requires of us. Repent and, abstaining from every evil word, deed and thought, learn every virtue, and you will always fast before God. “If you fast in quarrels and strife, and strike with the hand of the humble, why before Me fast as you do now, so that your voice may be heard. I have not chosen such a fast as the day in which a man will humble his soul, when he bends his neck like a sickle, and puts rags and ashes under him. You will not call such a fast a pleasant fast, I have not chosen such a fast, says the Lord. divide, divide your bread with the hungry, and bring the poor who have no shelter into the house; when you see the naked, clothe him, and do not hide from your own blood. Then your light will open like the dawn, and your healing will quickly increase, and your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will follow you. Then you will call, and the Lord will hear; you will cry out, and He will say: “Here I am!” When you remove the yoke from your midst, cease lifting up your finger and speaking offensively, and give your soul to the hungry and feed the soul of the sufferer: then your light will arise in the darkness, and your darkness will be like the noonday” (Is. 58:4-10). Translation by P. Yungerov – Editorial office of “The ABC of Faith” You might be interested in: