My beloved spiritual children in Christ Our Only True God and Our Only True Savior,
CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE.

THE NATIVITY FAST (November 15-December 24): REPENTANCE, FASTING, AND PRAYER

On Fasting

Saint John Chrysostomos writes:

Do you fast?

Do you fast? Give me proof of it by your works. If you see a poor man, take pity on him. If you see a friend being honored, do not envy him. Do not let only your mouth fast, but also the eyes and the ears and the feet and the hands and all the members of our bodies. Let the hands fast, by being free of avarice. Let the eyes fast, by disciplining them not to glare at that which is sinful. Let the ears fast, by not listening to evil talk and gossip. Let the mouth fast from foul words and unjust criticism. For what good is it if we abstain from fowl and fishes, but bite and devour our brothers and sisters? May He Who came to the world to save sinners strengthen us to complete the fast with humility, have mercy on us and save us.

Also,

"The evil speaker eats the flesh of his brother and bites the body of his neighbor. Because of this Saint Paul utters the fearful saying, 'If you bite and devour one another, take heed that you are not consumed by one another (Galatians 5:15). You have not fixed your teeth in his flesh, but you have harmed in a thousand ways yourself and him and many others, for in slandering your neighbor, you have made him who listens to the slander worse...Besides this, you have struck at the common welfare of the Church herself, for all those who hear you will to only accuse the supposed sinner, but the entire Christian community..."

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Fasting is more than abstaining from eating certain foods, it is actually the struggle between flesh and spirit (soul) that takes place within a Christian believer.

Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk writes that "every Christian hast two births, the old and fleshly, and the spiritual and new, and each is opposed to the other. The fleshly birth is flesh and the spiritual birth is spirit. "That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit" (John 3:6).

Because each of these births is opposed to the other then from this arises a conflict and a struggle between a Christian's flesh and spirit. "The flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh" (Galatians 5:17). The flesh desires to kill the spirit, and the spirit the flesh. The flesh desires to bring the spirit to submission, and the spirit the flesh. The flesh desires to rule the spirit, and the spirit the flesh...

"...The flesh desires to fornicate and to commit adultery, but the spirit is repelled by it and desires to be chaste...the flesh desires to be malicious, to flatter, to lie, to be crafty, to deceive, and to be hypocritical, but the spirit hates this and desires to be truthful and to be straightforward in all dealings. The flesh desires to hate a man, but the spirit desires to love him...The flesh desires to wander, to be drunk, and to arrange banquets and feasts, but the spirit turns away from this and desires to live either moderately or to fast.

The flesh desires to seek glory, honor, and riches in this world, but the spirit scorns all this and strives only for eternal blessings, and so on...A Christian should live not according to the flesh, but according to the spirit, and should subjugate the flesh to the spirit, according to the Apostolic injunction, "walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh" (Galatians 5:16). And this is "to crucify the flesh with the affections and lusts" (Galatians 5:24) "...Abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul" (1 Peter 2:11). "Walk in the newness of life" (Romans 6:4). Let us not allow sin to reign in us, but let us live for Christ "Who died for us, and arose again" (2 Corinthians 5:15).

Beloved Christians, let us see whether we have this warfare, whether we take part in this saving struggle, whether we walk in the newness of life, whether we oppose the inclinations and desires of the flesh, and whether we do not allow sin to reign over us and to rule us. For only those who have "crucified the flesh with its passions and desires" are Christians. What use is it to be called Christians, yet not truly be Christians? It is not the name of Christian that shows the True Christian, but the struggle against the flesh and against every sin. We must not permit the flesh everything it demands. It demands food, it demands drink, it demands clothing, it demands rest, and more: let us give what is needful, but when it desires what is contrary to the will of god and to his law let us not permit it, that we may be Christians not only in name but also in fact. (Source: Journey to Heaven. Counsels on the particular duties of every Christian by Saint Tikhon of Zaconsk)

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"Glory Be To GOD For All Things!" - Saint John Chrysostomos

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With sincere agape in His Holy Diakonia (Ministry)
The sinner and unworthy servant of God

+Father George