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(Gal. 5, 11–21; Mark 7, 5–16) “Nothing that enters a person from without can defile him; but what comes from it defiles a person” (Mark 7:15). This passage and similar ones, for example: “It’s bad... does not place us before God” (1 Cor. 8:8) - are usually put forward by those who do not like fasting, believing that this sufficiently justifies their non-fasting, according to the charter and order of the Church. Every faithful member of the Church knows how satisfactory this apology is. During fasting, it is decreed to abstain from certain foods, not because they are bad, but because this abstinence more conveniently achieves the refinement of the flesh necessary for internal prosperity. This meaning of the law of fasting is so significant that those who consider any food to be unclean are considered heretics. Those who are not favorable to fasting should not insist on this, but on the fact that fasting is not obligatory, although it is definitely a means to overcome the sinful urges and aspirations of the flesh. But this is a point on which they cannot resist. If internal prosperity is obligatory, then the means to it that is considered necessary, namely fasting, are also obligatory. Conscience says this to everyone. To calm her down they repeat: I will compensate for the omission of fasting in another way; or: fasting is harmful for me; or I will fast when I want, and not on established fasts. But the first apology is inappropriate, because no one has yet managed, in addition to fasting, to come to terms with their flesh, and how to establish their inner self. The latter is also inappropriate, because the Church is one body and to be separate from others in it is contrary to its structure; You can remove yourself from the general ranks of the Church only by leaving it, and while anyone is a member of it, he cannot speak like that and demand that. The second apology has a shadow of entitlement. And precisely, in the restrictions of fasting, the obligation to fast is removed from those on whom fasting has a destructive effect, because fasting is not established to kill the body, but to mortify passions. But if you list them in good faith, then they will turn out to be so few that there is nothing to count them. There will be only one reason left - reluctance. There is no point in arguing against this. And they won’t take you to heaven against your will; only when they are condemned to hell, go whether you like it or not; They'll grab you and throw you there. You might be interested in: