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(Rom. 14, 19–26; Matt. 6, 1–13. Fathers: Gal. 5, 22–6:2; Matt. 11, 27–30) “Those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and lusts” (Gal.5:24). Now this order has changed: they crucify the flesh, but not with passions and lusts, but with passions and lusts. How much the body is now tormented by gluttony, drunkenness, fornication, dancing and festivities! The most heartless owner does not torture his lazy animal like this. If we were to give our flesh freedom and meaning, then its first voice would be against its mistress - the soul, that it unlawfully interfered in its affairs, brought into it passions that were alien to it, and, fulfilling them in it, torments it. In essence, the needs of our body are simple and dispassionate. Look at the animals: they don’t overeat, don’t sleep too much, having satisfied their carnal needs in due time, then remain calm for a whole year. It is only the soul, having forgotten its best aspirations, which, out of the simple needs of the body, has created for itself many unnatural aspirations, which in their immensity have become unnatural to the body. In every possible way, however, in order to cut off from the soul the carnal passions it has instilled into itself, it is necessary to crucify the flesh, only in a completely opposite sense, that is, not giving it enough and what it needs, or satisfying its needs incomparably less than what its nature requires. You might be interested in: