Categories: orthodox-life, parish-life
Date: 07 February 2009 11:10:58
Yesterday I posted on my ignorance and failure of true fasting ["rejecting evil, holding one's tongue, suppressing one's hatred, and banishing one's lust, evil words, lying and betrayal of vows" -- St Basil the Great]; I may still have ignorance, but thanks be to God I have some further knowledge and direction. He truly does work in wondrous and mysterious ways.
After Vespers tonight we had an open Q&A session and someone asked about the Pre-Lenten Weeks and their significance. In addition to explaining them, Father talked about fasting and its nature -- while I sat there in stunned silence as my prayers [and yours -- thank you for them] were answered. I also took the oppportunity to ask a question and gained some more helpful advice.
What did I learn? I think I was seeing the fasting from food as "the end" [a more spirtually aware and spiritual life], rather than a means to the end; despite the fact I know quotes such as the one by St Basil above, I was expecting the act of fasting to suddenly transform me, as if eating fish and lentils would embue me with some holiness. Strange indeed, and strange typing it, but I think that is where I was starting from.
As Father explained, the focus of the Orthodox life is on repentance, and one knowing oneself as one truly is -- 'a sinner, among whom I am the foremost' to steal from St Paul and 1 Timothy 1:15. This is not lead to despair, but simply self-knowledge; and unless we know ourselves we cannot understand what we need to work on to conform ourselves more and more to the likeness of Christ.
So we must truly know ourselves, and the Fasting seasons are times of not just fasting from food but also times to focus on ourselves and in particular on the way we relate to others, as as the Parable of the Sheep and Goats [Matthew 25:31-45], and many other passages, state, how we treat those around us is key to our salvation. A rather worrying thought when I consider my attitude at times.
Thanks be to God for this night, and for Father's explanation. It may seem obvious, it probably is, but I needed to hear it and am glad and thankful I did.