The Purpose of Fasting

"For us who believe in theosis, asceticism’s very purpose is the retraining of the will, not for the sake of mere self-discipline, but rather because the will has to become receptive to divine grace in order to receive it." - Fr. Andrew

" Bringing our body and our will into greater submission to God strengthens us in the work of repentance. But the fast of Great Lent is far more than changing our eating habits. It includes increasing our time at prayer. The services are longer and we should make every effort to attend – at least more services than we have been attending. Fasting includes what we do with the goods of this world. Denying ourselves the benefit of our own riches, we share them with those who have less. This action conforms our heart to the heart of God and teaches us compassion." - Fr. Stephen 

"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 eye and the ear and the feet and the hands and all the members of our bodies. Let the hands fast, by being free of avarice. Let the feet fast, by ceasing to run after sin. Let the eyes fast, by disciplining them not to glare at that which is sinful. Let the ear 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 birds and fishes, but bite and devour our brothers?" - St. John Chrysostom

"None of these actions earns us anything because we are not saved by such works. But neither is the grace at work in us a legal concept. Grace is the very Life of God dwelling in us, changing us from one degree of glory to another. Grace is the 'Lord concealed in the innermost sanctuary of our being, stimulating us to carry out the commandments…' We do not keep the Fast. The Fast keeps us." - Fr. Stephen

Children in the Liturgy

We went to church for the feast of the Meeting of Our Lord even though it was the middle of the week. The girls did fairly well for so late at night after the long car ride, but in the middle of the liturgy Veronica got to her usual up-too-late state: wiggles.  She simply can't be still and twists in our arms, making my arms begin to shake from the strain.  At 30 pounds, she isn't a baby anymore. She likes to turn and face forward, so that my arms are like a chair.  I assume she likes to see what's going on, but my weary arms - oh!

At one point, she twisted in John's arms in this way, and I saw him standing next to me holding her forward - with the icon of the Meeting of Our Lord on the wall beside him.  I couldn't help but notice the similarity of his awkward position with that of St. Simeon. Of course, this is also the way that the Theotokos holds Christ in many of her icons. I think it is an iconographic technique, sort of like cheating out onstage, so that the audience can see everyone.

But, in that moment, I was struck by the spiritual nature of my children. I so often get wrapped up in trying to teach them to pray, to whisper, to just please be quiet in church. But these children are also gifts of God, made in his image, and pure in heart.

Parenthood has been hard for me - there is a self emptying in being a mother that I am continually fighting. Fr. Nikolai told us after the liturgy that our struggle is not simply to pray in the liturgy, but to show our squirming children the love of Christ in the liturgy - to respond to them as Christ would.  Lord have mercy!  Then he added that getting through a night time liturgy quietly is our children's struggle. It is easier to love their struggle when you remember it is for their salvation.

Lu whispered to me when we entered the church that night, "Mommy, the icons look different tonight!" I thought so, too.