On Fasting

How to identify a faster.

If you do not see what someone eats, can you tell if he or she is fasting?

 Yes.  Fasting makes us contrite and still, we become lowly and we react to offence and anger slowly.   Fasting has nothing to do with food but with what one fills the belly of the heart and mind.   St John Chrysostomos tells us that those who fast from food but bite their brothers aren’t fasting at all.  What is more pleasing to God, one who eats but expresses affection and suffers others, allowing others to see Christ, or one whose belly is empty of food but from it churns out offences created by the most evil of fasters, Satan?

This is Great Lent.  Everyone should be so filled with the joy of the Resurrection that it is difficult not to be pleasing and happy with others even if they should lose control occasionally and speak or act in an offensive way.    The hymns and prayers given us by the Church at this time (if you listen to them) contain a double portion of grace, grace that you should be experiencing.  Yes, experiencing, not simply aware of!!  Grumbling, attacking others, foul dispositions, etc. have no part in fasting or Great Lent.  They have no part in Christ.  He never acted in that way to anyone.   Do not forget, it wasn’t simply because He is God but that He lived on earth as a man, and was tempted as a man, like you and I.   Consider your attitude while enjoying something very pleasurable how agreeable, generous and patient you are with others.  Know what I mean?   Isn’t it harder to get angry and isn’t it easier to be agreeable when you are having a good time?  If you don’t feel this way during Lent, you are not participating in the fast because patience, kindness, gentleness, longsuffering, good cheer and affection are characteristics freely given by the fast itself and expressed by one who truly fasts.