Fasting
His Holiness Pope Shenouda III discusses the concept of fasting in the Coptic Orthodox Church, explaining that fasting is not merely abstaining from a certain type of food, but rather abstaining from food for a specific period of time followed by eating plant-based food. Therefore, the period of abstinence is an essential element of fasting and not merely eating vegetarian food.
His Holiness Pope Shenouda III explains that the duration of abstinence differs from one person to another according to age, health, type of work, and spiritual level, under the guidance of the spiritual father. Thus, fasting is not a rigid law but a spiritual exercise suited to each person’s ability.
He also emphasizes that abstinence during fasting grants a person strength of will and the ability to reject the desires of the self. In this way, a person learns to say “no” to lusts and bodily demands. He sees that enduring hunger has spiritual value because it strengthens the will and makes a person more compassionate toward the hungry and suffering.
He points out that true fasting is not limited to the fasting of the body, but also includes the fasting of the soul, mind, heart, and spirit through distancing oneself from all bodily demands, lusts, delicacies, luxury, and rising above material things.
He warns against turning fasting into merely focusing on delicious fasting foods, because this causes fasting to lose its spiritual depth. The essence of fasting is simplicity and distancing oneself from pleasures and desires of every kind.
He also explains that fasting must be linked with distancing oneself from sin. The fasting of the mouth from food should be accompanied by the fasting of the tongue from idle words, the fasting of the mind from evil thoughts, and the fasting of the heart from corrupt desires.
He stresses that God does not accept every fast, citing the fast of the Pharisee that was mixed with pride and boasting. Therefore, fasting should be accompanied by humility, secrecy, and avoiding the desire for people’s praise.
On the positive side, he explains that fasting is an opportunity to nourish the spirit through prayer, meditation, worship, praise, spiritual readings, and repentance, because depriving the body of food must be accompanied by satisfying the spirit with its spiritual nourishment.
He concludes by affirming that the fast acceptable before God is the fast connected with repentance, contrition, humility, and prayer, as happened with the people of Nineveh. It is not merely changing one type of food for another, but rather a complete spiritual life that leads a person to God.
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