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“Behold, now is the time accepted; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Cor. 6:2). Now the time has come in which prayers and supplications are accepted. The Kingdom of God is now close to everyone who serves God in truth, because the days of pure fasting have come for those who truly fast in purity. So, beloved, let us maintain this fast with zeal and a pure heart, because it is sweet and pleasant for those who spend these holy days. Let us use this holy fast to fight the devil, because without fasting and prayer no one can defeat the evil one. Let us use this fast, beloved, to ask and implore mercy from the All-Good and Merciful, Who does not reject the one who asks. This fast, beloved, opens the door of heaven, because it lifts us from the earth and lifts us to heights. This fast, beloved, pleases our Angels and Guardians, because through fasting and prayer we become their relatives. Christ our Lord also rejoices in this fast, if only we fast with love, hope and faith. The holy prophets rejoice in this fast, beloved, and the apostles and martyrs rejoice in it, because they all labored in fasting with tireless zeal. This fast, beloved, was maintained by the meek Moses, and it was for him that he performed miracles, for which he was honored to see God. Elijah also observed this fast, beloved, and for this he was honored to ascend to heaven in a chariot of fire. This fast, beloved, was maintained by the amiable young man Daniel, and for this he was glorified and stopped the mouths of the lions. In this fast, beloved, three youths, cast into the furnace, labored with holy zeal and quenched the fiery power. This fast, beloved, was observed by the holy prophets, spending forty days without bread and water. And the apostles, disciples of our Lord and preachers of the faith, maintained this holy fast, although they moved from place to place. Our Savior Himself kept a fast and taught us how we should fast, fight the evil one and overcome Satan. So, beloved, let us also maintain this fast zealously, as we were taught by our Lord, so that one day we may have a part in His Kingdom. Let the priests maintain this holy fast, in purity, immaculately, holyly, without any defilement. May the deacons also maintain it more strictly than others, and may they serve God holyly, fighting against the evil one. May all the elders maintain this fast, clothed in lamentation about their former sins and iniquities. May husbands and their wives maintain this holy fast, keeping themselves clean from all deceptions that the evil one constantly invents. Let the virgins also maintain this fast, so that when our Lord returns in glory, they may enter with Him into the bridal chamber. May parents also maintain this holy fast, and may they ask their children for God’s mercy. And youth, beloved, may this fast contain itself, because it needs to courageously fight against the murderer the devil. Even children, both the smallest and the older ones, keep this holy fast together, some up to three, and others up to six and up to nine hours. Let the whole Church and all her children, of every condition and rank, fast, and with ardent love ask and implore God. May the rich fast and pray during this time of fasting, and may they give alms to the orphans, the needy and the poor. Let the poor fast and pray during this holy fast, begging our Savior to satisfy their needs. Let these orphans fast and pray to Christ during the fast, calling on God to become Father and Lord for them. Let widows fast a lot, begging Christ that instead of their husbands He will nourish and protect them in widowhood. With the help of this holy fast, a person ascends to heaven and soars into paradise, if only he fasts in perfect purity. With this holy fast, a person glorifies God, and He opens the door of mercy to everyone who zealously observes the fast. This holy fast was maintained by Nineveh, prompted by the preaching of Jonah; both people and cattle fasted for forty days. Patriarchs, prophets, the righteous and all the pious were glorified by this holy fast. The apostles, disciples of the Son of God, taught this holy fast and led the nations from error to the truth. With this holy fast, the blessed and victorious martyrs strengthened their bodies, going to the sword, fire and all kinds of torment. Oh how great you are, day of fasting! Blessed is he who guides you as you should. Anyone who obeys you ascends to heaven on wings. But whoever, while fasting, hates his brother is the same before God as one who indulges in gluttony, because he is filled with deception and hatred, and has lost the love of our Lord. He who fasts and is angry and harbors enmity in his heart hates God, and salvation is far from him. Oh how beautiful you are, prayer! Blessed is he who zealously practices prayer; unless he is clean from all deception, the evil one will not approach him. But pay attention to what our Savior said to the pure flock of His disciples when he taught them to pray: “Our Father who art in heaven.” He teaches us to pray: “And forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors” (Matthew 6:9, 12). So, look, the Lord does not forgive the one who does not forgive his brother. Look how beautiful the prayer that Christ’s disciples learned from the true Shepherd to fight against the evil one. So, whoever has deceit, hatred and condemnation in his heart, let him first cleanse his soul, and then he comes and fasts and prays. Whoever is hostile to his brother, hates him and curses at him, first make peace with his brother and forgive him; then he can already draw closer to the Lord. Whoever wants to appear before God must leave his debt to his brother in advance; only such fasting and prayer are pleasing to God. What good will this prayer bring us if we do not forgive our debtors? Man, you are the son of dust! Consider what your Lord has taught you; do not despise the word of the Lord, lest the Lord reject you and condemn you. Forgive me my debts and sins, as I forgive him who offended me. Forgive me as I forgive, accept me as I accept. If you, a man, do not forgive everyone who has sinned against you, then do not bother yourself with fasting and prayer. If you do not leave a debt to your brother, with whom you are angry for something, then you are fasting and praying in vain; God will not accept you. Why do you mortify your body with fasting, torment your soul with hunger and thirst, if you do not accept with love your brother, against whom you have anger and hatred in your heart? Neither your prayer nor your fasting will help you in the least until you become perfect in the love and hope of faith. He who harbors anger, enmity, hatred and discord is an enemy of God, a friend of the evil Satan! Oh, how excellent, my brothers, is love, fasting, prayer, and mercy for the poor, the needy, orphans and widows! Our Lord in His Gospel blessed the poor, if only they were clean from all evil, from fornication and from all shame. Break your bread and give to the poor. What you give is not yours; God has given you in abundance so that you can give to others. Your daily bread is enough, as you were taught in prayer, so do not gather up straw for yourself for fire and torment. Look, your Lord promised you that if you give to the poor, then in this century He will reward you a hundredfold, sixtyfold and thirtyfold, and in the next century He will reward you with eternal life. Blessed is he who breaks his bread and gives it to the poor; Christ rejoices in him and will reward him with the Kingdom of Heaven. Blessed is he who clothes the naked; he will be clothed in the robe of the Kingdom and will one day rejoice in the bright chamber. “Blessed is he who considers poverty,” says David, “because “in the day of cruelty the Lord will deliver him” (Ps. 40:1), that is, on the last day he will save him and deliver him from hell and torment, and from the worm that eats and does not die. Just pay attention to what our Savior says in His Divine Gospel: “Come, blessed of My Father,” take possession of your bliss, life and joys; “You are hungry, and you give Me food; You became thirsty and drank Me; beh is strange, and you know Men... I fled in prison, and came to Me." Then the righteous, standing at the right hand of our Savior, will say in response: “Lord, when did I see You hungry ... or thirsty,” or poor, “and drink?” When will You be seen as strange... or in prison... and taken in?” And Christ will say to the righteous standing at His right hand: “Amen, I say to you, because you have made one of these least of my brothers, you have made me.” Come, inherit the kingdom, you sons of light, who stand at my right hand (Matthew 25:34–40). Be careful, my brothers, that we do not become prey to fire and torment. Woe to the one who is cast into Gehenna, because his torment will continue forever and ever. But bliss is also eternal, and therefore, zealously, my brothers, observe fasting and bring true repentance. Let there be no uncleanness in your bodies, and no sin in your members. Look, my brothers, let none of you disgrace yourself with lewdness, because God does not abhor any sin more than lewdness. See, my brethren, that stench and reproach are not heard among you, but instead offer praise and praise to God. See, my brethren, that pride and arrogance do not rule among you, but instead be clothed in humility and meekness. Look, my brothers, let none of you love thieves, because such a one, wherever he comes and wherever he stays, drives out blessings from everywhere. Completely put away from you adultery and false witness, because they plunge those who are guilty of them into the pit of destruction. Look, my brethren, let none of you swear in the name of the Most High God, because an oath should not enter into the mouth created for the praise of God! Do as our Lord taught: “Let your word be: to her, to her: neither, nor” (Matthew 5:37). The Son of God, in His goodness, showed us the path of life, so that along it we would ascend into the Kingdom by deeds of righteousness. Therefore, let us zealously repent before we reach another age. Let us love fasting, prayer and charity to the poor, and let us love each other mutually, because “for love is... the fulfillment... of the law” (Rom. 13:10). Everything passes, my brothers, only our deeds will accompany us. Therefore, let us prepare for ourselves the path (necessary for the journey) for a journey that no one will miss. Praise be to the Word of God, who became human for our sake and, out of His abundant love, endured suffering for our race! Greatness to the Father who sent the Word! Alleluia to the Holy Spirit! Praise be to You, most venerable, Divine and Eternal Trinity, and to us Your bounties at all times! Amen, amen. You might be interested in: