Let us fast with a pleasant fast, pleasing to the Lord: true fasting means alienation of anger, abstinence of the tongue, putting aside rage, excommunication from lusts, accusations, lies and perjury. This impoverishment is a true fast, and a favorable one.
The time of the Nativity Fast is approaching. And many Orthodox Christians are looking forward to this time. Why does the ancient stichera with which this article began say that fasting is pleasant if it is full of restrictions and prohibitions?
The pleasantness of fasting is implied in the fact that people experience a feeling of freedom from their passions; a, so to speak, silence of passions reigns in their souls, a certain detachment from this world.
Definition of fasting according to the Orthodox dictionary
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Fasting is a voluntary activity for the glory of God, of an ascetic nature, which consists of:
- abstinence from nourishing and pleasant food, lack of entertainment and amusements;
- thorough examination of the soul and cleansing from sinful thoughts;
- independent compulsion to prayer, reading spiritual literature, thinking about spiritual subjects and good deeds.
The goal and intended outcome of each fast is significant spiritual growth.
What can and should be done
We figured out what fasting is. But how to spend all your days, since it is almost impossible to always devote time to prayer? Indeed, during such a period, Christians try to do something good in the name of the Lord and for the salvation of the soul:
- perform deeds of mercy;
- go on pilgrimage trips;
- read Orthodox literature;
- listen to the sermons of church pastors;
- prepare for the holiday to which the fast is dedicated.
Most often, fasters notice that there is much more time, and it does not run away at a rapid speed. After all, at this moment a contemporary leaves the TV, computer, gadgets. He uses his phone only for business and does not allow himself to say unnecessary words. In addition, you should not communicate with friends if the meeting takes place for the purpose of “just chatting, arguing, having fun.”
What is fasting for?
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During Lent, Orthodox Christians greet each other with the words “Happy fasting, pleasing to God,” meaning by this some kind of holiday, some kind of joy and liberation, accomplished for their own happiness and in honor of the Lord.
The Holy Fathers compared fasting to a cure for sin. This is especially vividly described in the writings of John Chrysostom, who said about fasting:
Let the Greeks be ashamed, let the Jews be put to shame, seeing with what joyful readiness we welcome his offensive, and let them know by themselves what the difference is between us and them. Let them call drunkenness, all kinds of unbridledness and shamelessness, which they usually produce, holidays and celebrations. The Church of God, contrary to them, calls fasting, contempt of the belly, and then the following of all kinds of virtues a holiday. And this is a true holiday, where there is the salvation of souls, where there is peace and harmony, from which all worldly pomp is banished, where there is no screaming, no noise, no running of cooks, no slaughter of animals, but instead of all this, perfect calm, silence, love, joy reign. , peace, gentleness and countless blessings. (from conversation 1 on Genesis)
There seems to be nothing to add to the words of the great ascetic. Here it is, the true essence of the holiday - to get rid of the pressure of the physical side of the human body on the mental. By suppressing the demands of the body, Orthodox Christians educate the soul and teach it to resist temptations.
What restrictions and prayer give
Almost every deeply religious person knows that fasting is a spiritual school of life. Having limited themselves to worldly concerns and entertainment or excluded them completely for a while, Christians suddenly understand that we have completely forgotten that all the vanity that revolves around us and around which we ourselves revolve will pass, it all doesn’t matter. There is a more important thing in life - saving the soul from destruction, from going to hell for sins.
People often ask priests about which fast is considered effective. The answer is clear: voluntary, with the desire to change oneself, leave everything worldly and remember God, why we live, and of course, learn to love and forgive everyone. This feat is considered the most difficult; it is very difficult to part with pride and approach the offender, speaking sincerely about forgiveness. It is also difficult to devote some time to God without being distracted by other matters and worries.
Having overcome his earthly desires in order to meet the Lord, pray to Him, thank Him, ask for help, a person gains genuine joy, not just a fleeting feeling that arises in connection with pleasant circumstances, but spiritual joy for no apparent reason.
What should the post be like?
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Everyone should have their own holiday of the soul. Not a mechanical equalization of everyone - this is possible, but this is not possible, and that’s all! No, depending on mental strength, age, gender, profession - each person bears fasting to his own extent.
After all, fasting is a sacrifice of gratitude that people offer to God for the Sacrifice on the Cross that the Son of God made for us. And everyone should have a feasible sacrifice.
Refusing food, of course, cleanses the soul, but when a person during fasting, instead of pure prayer, dreams of a piece of bread, distracted from communication with the Lord, this also does not contribute to his cleansing. Entering into fasting gradually, first refusing the most delicious dishes, replacing them with healthy, but lean food, limiting yourself more and more every day - this is an acceptable tactic. You shouldn’t follow the path of indulging in temptations: “well, just one piece of cake, and then I’ll fast again.” This is the path of betrayal.
You should repent of such thoughts to your spiritual father, asking him for help and support. But succumbing to such temptations means undoing everything that was done before during Lent. Active renunciation of sins, contrition in them, is also an integral part of fasting. During this period, it is worth reading the works of the Holy Fathers of the Church, who explain the essence and meaning of spiritual cleansing. And repentance will run like a red thread through their works.
How did he appear
Fasting began, as many priests preach, in heaven. As the Bible says, God ordered Adam and Eve to eat any plant, but not to touch one tree that was fraught with evil. This was fasting - eat everything, but do not touch anything that could harm you. Eve did not listen, seduced by the words of the demon, who was hiding behind the guise of a serpent. A tragedy occurred - the world became the way we see it now: suffering, evil, illness and death. But in order for a person to improve, God gave absolutely all people a chance to return to heaven through fasting and prayer.
Before Jesus Christ came into the world, people also limited themselves for the sake of God. But when the Savior was born and began to preach, then the rules changed, which the Orthodox still observe today. Fasting is needed for the people themselves, and not for God.
Typical mistakes during fasting
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Refusal of fast food, as has been said more than once, is not the main point of fasting. For example, a believer does not eat meat, dairy, or sweets, but spends the whole day from morning to evening prayers in front of the TV - this is not fasting. Receiving guests with whom he has empty conversations, gossiping and even using foul language - this is not fasting. He does not eat meat and dairy, and actively condemns those who do not fast - this is also not fasting.
When a person eliminates everything that comes between him and the Lord, when he conducts introspection, reviews his habits, his life, cleanses his flesh and spirit - this is fasting.
Visiting church more than once a week, as it was before fasting, home prayer is longer than before, several good deeds that were never done - that’s all fasting.
How to start fasting for a beginner
Beginners always wonder when fasting begins and when it will end. The Church has established fast days: one-day (Wednesday and Friday) and multi-day (Rozhdestven, Velikiy, Petrov and Uspensky).
In order not to get confused and to know for sure, it is recommended to purchase a calendar of Orthodox fasts for the current/next year.
As a rule, modern calendars indicate on which days what can be eaten. The dates of major church holidays are also given.
It is advisable to find out in advance how to fast. Below is a summary of the preparation.
Why do people post?
Why do people post? Regardless of the platform, posts inform the reader, entertain, and motivate .
Posts help make a page, group, thread on a forum or blog more popular. But why exactly - it depends on the author (he can simply share interesting information with users or make money from it). Let's look at a couple of examples that will show why individuals and companies engage in posting.
Individual
Many people post photos of themselves on social networks just like that, without any specific purpose. Someone just wants to show off a beautiful place they have visited. Someone will show off with a new dress. And someone posts jokes and jokes.
Inga Palkina produces custom textile toys. Perhaps the girl became interested in this for a very long time, and her relatives and friends noted her excellent work. Inga decided that she could make good money on this, and so that people would know about her services, she begins to use her page on the social network as a working one. And he even creates a separate group for this.
In this example, posting helps a person who runs a home-based business attract new clients.
Individuals can manage groups on social networks or promote their page. If your account becomes popular, you can sell advertising space and get paid for it. The higher the audience reach that is achieved through posts, the more expensive the advertising.
The Vladivostok group is engaged in posting news about city events, and for a fee the administration can place an advertising post:
Individuals can also earn money by posting, and it is not necessary to have some kind of promoted public page or engage in handicrafts or any other type of activity.
You can use your current account or specifically create a new one, which can be used for paid posting through special services.
The essence of earning money is this: you register on a special website where paid work for posting is posted. It is ordered by people who want to advertise something. You complete the order according to the conditions and receive money for it. For example:
I will tell you more about such earnings below, with examples of implementation.
Another example is bloggers . Popular personalities whose careers directly depend on posting on social networks or blogs. For example, the notorious Instagram blogger Ekaterina Didenko calls herself a pharmacy auditor. In her posts, she shares recommendations regarding medications (what to buy, what to avoid, and so on).
The girl became popular, collecting more than 1 million subscribers, which attracted the attention of potential advertisers. According to LIFE news, advertising in her account can be purchased for 110,000 rubles.
Who needs to fast
Until the age of seven, children are not able to be responsible for their actions, they are just learning about life, and perceive absolutely everything that surrounds them. Therefore, they do not need to repent of their sins in confession. And after turning 7 years old, a boy and a girl must learn to realize responsibility for themselves, for their actions, deeds and thoughts, feelings.
The same goes for fasting. It is interconnected with confession. Therefore, children from the age of seven must join their parents. But one should not be forced to limit food and entertainment so that the child loses the desire to be a real Christian. The priests recommend doing everything gradually and if the child is ready, he does not resist.
How to prepare
Preparation for fasting usually begins with a visit to the temple in order to:
- pray collectively at the liturgy;
- confess your sins to the priest;
- receive communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ;
- listen to the priest's sermon.
Usually people learn in church what fasting is. As a rule, priests remind that physical and spiritual restriction is necessary in order for a person to part with his passions.
After all, everyone will have to get used to new conditions in the afterlife. If a person gravitates towards everything earthly, then in eternity he will unbearably want to go back, but there will be no way back. In addition, a person voluntarily sends himself to hell. To prevent this from happening, posts are given.
