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Fasting or knowledge of God through self-restraint or asceticism…

Fasting or knowledge of God through self-restraint or asceticism

Obedience to God is manifested by keeping His commandments. The Christian fast is a liturgical time of need, which offers us the possibility of physical and soul cleansing. In the following catechesis we learn about the purpose and importance of fasting in the Christian’s life.
I. Apperceptive preparation:
Through the sacrifice on the Cross of the Savior Jesus Christ, objective salvation was given to the world, thus creating the possibility for everyone to work on subjective, personal salvation – by working with the grace of the Holy Spirit received at the Sacrament of Holy Baptism. Among the means by which man consciously and freely works on personal salvation is fasting, along with faith, good deeds, etc.
II. Theme announcement:
Because we are at the beginning of the Nativity Fast, we believe that this catechesis is welcome, in which we will point out the purpose and importance of fasting in the life of the Christian.
III. Treatment:
Fasting is abstaining from certain foods, abstaining from the appetites and desires that defile our soul and body (bad words, gossip, etc.), but also the attempt to multiply good deeds, pleasing to God and uplifting for man (charity, kind words , perseverance in prayer, frequent participation in church services). Fasting thus becomes the preparatory path for the Holy Confession, the Holy Communion and the Holy Maslu, the service of the little Aghesma, etc.
Scriptural Basis:
a) In the Old Testament, fasting appears both as a spiritual and physical preparation for a special event (receiving the Tablets of the Law by Moses, Isa. 34, 28-29; showing the presence of God to the prophet Elijah not in a storm, in an earthquake or in fire , but in a „gentle breeze”, 3 Kings 19, 8-12 etc.), as well as a sign of repentance (the salvation of the city of Nineveh following the fast held by the entire community, Jonah 3, 4-10). Representative for the practice of the post are also the passages of Mr. 1, 8-17 and 10, 2-3, Os. 6, 6 or Drum. 12, 8-9.
b) In the New Testament the focus is on fasting as a means of fighting against temptations and the power of the devil (Mt. 17, 21): the 40-day fast of the Savior (Mt. 4, 1-11, Mk. 1, 12-13 , Lk. 4, 1-13), as a means of fulfilling the preaching action (FA 13, 2-3; 14, 23) and as an affirmation of the Christian life, in Christ (1 Cor. 7, 5; 2 Cor. 6 , 5 and 11, 27; Ga. 5, 16-17 and 22-26; 1 Pet. 2, 11 and 16, etc.).
Patristic foundations: Numerous patristic writings talk about the way of fasting, about its importance in the life of the Christian, as participation in the Sacrament of the Cross and the Resurrection of Christ. We give just two examples:
– „We got sick through sin, let’s heal ourselves through repentance! And repentance without fasting is powerless. Go before God through fasting. (…) If fasting reigned, weapons would no longer be made, no- there would be no more tribunals, no more prisons, no more robbers in forests and wildernesses, no more denouncing cities, and no more pirates. (…) True fasting is alienation from sin, bridging the tongue, stopping anger, turning away from lusts , of gossip, of lies, of crooked oaths” (St. Basil the Great, Homily I);
– „And if you fast to show people that you are fasting, then, in the other world, you will find yourself as in a desert: there will be no one to look at you, because it will not be seen from anywhere that you have fasted. (… ) You insult fasting if you want to be admired by sinners and those who do not fast! (…) Love, however, fasting as it should, not for others, but for himself!” (Saint John the Golden Mouth, Homilies on Matthew XX, II).
Canonical regulations: the positions of chiefs (can. 69 ap.); the prohibition of atypical fasting on Saturdays and Sundays (can. 66 ap., 55 Trul., 18 Gangra); the prohibition of weddings and anniversaries during fasting (ca. 52 Laod.); preparation by fasting for the reception of the Holy Eucharist (ca. 29 Trul., 41 and 47 Cart.).
Job classification:
– after austerities: fasting (total abstinence from food and drink, following the example of the Savior, Saint Elijah or Moses); harsh fasting (with vegetables and dried fruits, bread and water, according to the model of Saint John the Baptist); the usual fast (with cooked food that excludes foods of animal origin such as eggs, dairy, fats, fish, meat) and the light fast (with release).
– by duration: one-day fast (Wednesdays and Fridays – days of sadness for the betrayal and crucifixion of the Savior; the Exaltation of the Holy Cross – Sept. 14; Epiphany Eve – Jan. 5 and the Beheading of Saint John the Baptist – Aug. 29) and the fast of several days (of the Nativity of the Lord, of Paresimi – of Easter, of the Holy Apostles and of the Dormition of the Mother of God). The days on which fasting is not observed, exceptionally (holiday with a red cross, such as Saint Andrew the Apostle, on Wednesday, in the Nativity Fast) or normally (Wednesdays and Fridays between Christmas and Epiphany Eve), I call maps.
The positions can also be classified:
– according to the number of people involved: particular fast (the Savior, Moses, Saint Elijah, but also Ahab – 3 Kings 21, 27-29, Eleazar – 1 Ezr. 8, 21-23, Dan. – 9, 3-20. All this includes the fast kept by the faithful in order to receive the Sacraments and church liturgies) and the collective fast of the community (the fasts entered in the calendar, the fast of the Ninevites).
– according to their type: ordinary (all the fasts entered in the calendar) and extraordinary (fasting days decided by the chiriarch, metropolitan or patriarch „for some necessary work, that is, to turn back the wrath of God that falls on the people and to deliver them they have death, they have famine, they have war, they have drought, they have oppressed rains, they have the healing of the sick, they have the comfort of the afflicted” – Mart. Ortodoxă, I, 93).
IV. Recap:
We try to synthesize the Christian notion of fasting – as a state of mental and physical humility, with a view to dispassion, for liberation from temptations of all kinds and advancement on the path of holiness; the fasting model of the Savior Jesus Christ; the power of fasting (joined with prayer, repentance, almsgiving and good deeds) to transform man, spiritualizing his thought, deed and word, bringing him closer to God.
V. We associate the practice of fasting with the other means of salvation: prayer, works of charity, etc.
VI. Generalization:
Far from being an end in itself, fasting is a means of cultivating Christian virtues, in order for the believer to work with the grace of the Holy Spirit, for personal salvation. And without fasting and temperance it is not possible to crucify sin, nor to advance on the path of virtues.
ARE YOU COMING. Applying the teachings of the Church regarding fasting is only possible if the abstinence from food is accompanied by a corresponding Christian attitude. The prophet Isaiah, also called the „Evangelist of the Old Testament”, speaks so inspired in this sense: „Do you not know the post that pleases me? – says the Lord. Break the chains of injustice, untie the bonds of the yoke, let the oppressed go and break their yoke. Distribute the bread be with the hungry, shelter the poor, clothe the naked… Then your light will rise like the dawn!…” (Is. 58, 6-8).
Selective Bibliography:
The Bible or Holy Scripture, jubilee edition of the Holy Synod, EIBMBOR, 2001;
St. Petru Movilă, Orthodox Confession, Ed. Junimea, Iasi, 2001.
† Daniel, Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church, „Hunger and thirst for God – the meaning and benefit of fasting”, Basilica Ed., 2008;
Archid. Prof. Fr. Ioan N. Floca, „Canons of the Orthodox Church. Notes and comments”, ed. third improved, Sibiu, 2005;
Rev. Prof. Dr. Vasile Gordon, „Pastoral catechesis for everyone to understand”, vol. I, Bucharest, 2012.

Stelian Gombos

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Despre Stelian GOMBOS

Stelian Gombos – Scurta prezentare – Nascut la 08.07.1977, in municipiul Oradea, judetul Bihor – Teolog, jurist si publicist – Absolvent a doua facultati: Teologie si Drept – Absolvent a multiple si diferite cursuri, stagii si sesiuni de pregatire precum si a numeroase studii, postuniversitare, masterale, de specialitate, atat in tara cat si in strainatate – Doctor in Teologie – Consilier la Secretariatul de Stat pentru Culte (SSC) din cadrul Guvernului Romaniei – Autor si coautor a 30 de carti sau volume de profil – Autor a numeroase studii de specialitate, lucrari, articole, eseuri, interviuri si recenzii – Initiator, organizator si coordonator a numeroase conferinte, seri duhovnicesti si evenimente spiritual – culturale – Participant la foarte multe simpozioane, conferinte, seri duhovnicesti si manifestari cultural – spirituale – Initiator, organizator, realizator si coordonator a numaroase proiecte, activitati sau campanii social – umanitare precum si actiuni sau proiecte caritativ – filantropice – Colaborator si participant la realizarea si desfasurarea a diferite evenimente cultural – spirituale, proiecte si evenimente social – umanitare sau comunitare – Membru a diferite organizatii, asociatii sau fundatii cultural – spirituale sau comunitar – sociale – Bun comunicator, colaborator, initiator, organizator, coordonator, orator, scriitor si vorbitor!… Eseurile: „Punct si de la capat ori ba?!”, „Romania in si din noi”, „A fi ortodox astazi!”, „Cand m-am intors acasa”, „Cine arunca primul cu piatra?!”, „Ipocrizia”, „Recunostinta”, „Dreapta socoteala”, „Incercarile vietii”, „Judecata”, „Constiinta”, „Preotul”, „Credinta”, „Pocainta”, „Rabdarea”, „Sinceritatea”, „Curajul”, „Unitatea”, „Demnitatea” si „Identitatea”, „Treizeci de ani de la Revolutie”, „Normalitatea” si „Schimbarea”, „Simplitatea” si „Intalnirea” precum si multe altele sunt tot atatea fericite prilejuri sau binecuvantate ocazii de a constitui obiectul sau subiectul unei intalniri, prelegeri, meditatii, discurs, carte ori conferinta, la care va fac aleasa poftire pentru a organiza si, deci, a fi laolalta/impreuna, spre a impartasi, in mod concret, asemenea valori sanatoase si principii comune, in acest an, cu care ne-a (mai) inzestrat, miluit si binecuvantat Dumnezeu!… Asadar, va stau la dispozitie, cu aleasa pretuire si deosebita consideratie!… Pastram legatura!… Dumnezeu sa ne ajute, tuturor, in continuare, in tot lucrul cel bun! Amin!… @Stelian Gombos Telefon: 0745/265661 e-mail: stelian_gombos@yahoo.com steliangombos@hotmail.com steliangombos@gmail.com https://steliangombos.wordpress.com/ https://www.facebook.com/stelian.gombos