Fasting: Worthless or Life-Changing?
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- Опубліковано 16 лис 2023
- Father Josiah Trenham
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The Original Church: Lectures on the Acts of the Apostles by Father Josiah Trenham.
The Acts was written by the Holy Apostle and Evangelist Luke, as the 2nd part of his great literary masterpiece setting forth the Life of Jesus Christ in his Gospel, and then in the Acts showing forth the new Christian life made possible by the Lord’s great and saving deeds and the descent of the Holy Spirit. Here in these sacred pages we discover what St. Paul calls “new creation in Christ.”
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I find fasting very hard. My favourite two words in the bible are “Take, eat…”
😭😭😭😭😭😭
🤣
😂😂
📿Good strength
The good news is you can still participate in the "take, eat" the Lord is referring to while fasting.
This is my first Nativity Fast as a Catechumen. Glory to Jesus Christ!
Mine too!
Mine too!
As a Roman Catholic i’m looking forward to following your Orthodox fasting standards this Advent. I was hoping you would post on this, thank you for the video Father.
If you want to ask questions about Orthodoxy, maybe I can help.
Im just a wretched sinner who is Orthodox.
God bless you through your fast.
I'm grateful to have become new to orthodoxy and began fasting as a habit and a discipline❤
The most amazing transformation, God is good! AMEN! Much love to all❤❤
When i was at st nektarios monestary on thier fast day they had lentil soup with bread and fresh tomatoess. Thats my go to now for fast meals. Lentil soup with onoin mushroom garlic and salt, i make a huge pot and eat it for days without thinking of food
This video brought tears to my eyes. Thank you, Father - God bless 🙏❤
In all my life, learning about fasting from many different people and denominations, this is the one that has blessed me most. Fasting is humbleness in action, and may the Lord touch every fabric of your life. God bless you.
Thank you so much for this Jesus Christ have mercy on me a sinner ❤
Thank you Father for this video. I needed to hear this because I realize I have no clue about real fasting and what it's for.
Same here ..If you come across info on FASTING please share. Lord Jesus Christ have mercy on me a sinner
My first nativity fast has been difficult so far. Thank you for this Father
You can do it! My first fast was for Pascha and it was deeply moving for me. It was tough but you will look back on it with joy!
May it be blessed. 🙏
It takes time for your organism to get into the rhythm of fasting-feasting and once it acquires it, it becomes natural and even feeling too heavy and wanting for fast to start.
Thank you, Father. Such timely words for me :) I was just thinking these days about how, just a few days into the fast, and I know it's a very unfruitful one: I keep writing angry tweets and keep searching for things to buy (a few things I actually need, but MOST ... I simply want, not need them). This thought kept bothering me, but I wasn't really doing anything about it. And just as I was looking for another shopping haul clip as inspiration to my own shopping, your clip pops out in my recommendations :) I take it as a sign I should stop reading tweets and concentrate on reading from the Bible and spiritual books :) And use UA-cam for more advise from priests and Elders and less for shopping hauls :)
I feel ya. Not the shopping part, but online arguing and anger.
Thank you Father for sharing this with us. I am new to the Christian way of life; in fact have rebelled against it for a long time. Until, that is, I began learning of Orthodox Christianity a month ago. I'm not part of a church yet, but have been listening to chanting and hymns, and learning about the Saints. I am recovering physically and mentally, and have lost a lot of weight, so I will not fast. "LORD Jesus Christ, Have Mercy on me", is a miracle. God bless.
What a beautiful talk, thank you for bringing more light to the fasting topic.
Christ is Risen☦️
Indeed he has risen
I needed this so much!! The part about anger and impatience while fasting.. yup that was for me! Thank you father, lord have mercy! 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼
Great video, Father. I may add: We don't fast for the sake of fasting, but use it as a tool for Askeses ("spiritual training"). First of all to mimic Jesus Christ, who fasted himself to teach us. Second to have something to crucify on ourself, doing a sacrifice showing Love of God, to the others and ourselves. Third we train to focus on spiritual things, and neglect the material things for a time. Forth fasting enhances prayers strength if its done by free will and love. Fifth a major treatment to help defeat all deep rooted passions in us. List goes on and on ...
Thank you for this reflection Fr. Trenham, this was really helpful!
Thank you so much Fr Josiah for this comprehensive introduction of the "how to" for fasting. I'm a convert of 8 years now and I've muddled through fasting as best I can figure out. I feel like you've given me some serious clarity on this topic as well as some good beginning instruction.
As a Catholic, I love learning from my Orthodox brothers and sisters and Orthodox faith leaders.
Obviously, we should fast as a way to practice self denial and grow closer to our Lord, but as a physical standpoint, what you eat before you fast and what you drink during the fast can make the physical effects much more manageable.
Avoiding simple carbs such as desert or juice so you don’t have a huge spike in insulin. Before one starts a fast having something like rice, potatoes, or wheat bread along with some protein will provide sustained energy. Lastly, having some coffee or tea during the day can trick our brains into thinking that we’re full.
Even if we're not full, we go on. We don't take shortcuts as that isn't in the spirit of the fast. We should eat simply and inexpensive during the fast, and no animal products. In Nativity Lent fish, oil and wine are allowed often, like on weekends.
In Great Lent we abstain from animal products, fish, oil and wine (except on certain feast days in the fast with the latter three).
In the Apostles and Dormition fasts, no animal products; fish, oil and wine are allowed on certain days.
On Wednesdays and Fridays throughout the year, no animal products, fish, oil or wine except on certain feast days.
We have fast free weeks after Pascha, Pentecost, 11 days after the Nativity, Publican & Pharisee week before Great Lent, and Cheesefare week (no meat though) right before Great Lent.
Father please help me, I am battling lust and the passions of the body especially during the fast.
And I am losing so many battles...
I am ashamed to ask forgiveness from God as the next day I fall again...
When we feel so ashamed we cant even lift our eyes to God, it is then it is vital to turn to our most pure mother, and beg her to strengthen you to confess and repent to her son our God. Dont despair brother. You only need to get back up one more time than you fall. And remember the prodigal son, aim to be like him. We can either wallow with the pain of heart that comes with sin, or we can use it as fuel to get closer to God by repentance. No one obtained the kingdom without pain of heart. Godspeed brother.
@@enclave3908 thank you so much brother.
Are you Orthodox?
@@voievod9260 yes, I was baptised 2 and a half years ago in rocor
Father Spyridon Bailey has a video just on this. :)
Me too brother, but we must always get back up. It is our pride that stops us from getting back up, did we really think we could never fall again. We will fall. And with that in mind, always know you must get up.
Hits the nail on the head!
Thank you for that amazing message we are blessed
Beautiful. I read that some years ago, and you have an excellent way of explaining it. May God give you, all the power needed to spread His Words, dear Abouna.
Thank you, father.
Always a blessing to watch your videos Father
Extremely helpful video. Thank you and God bless you!
Thank you for the wise words Fr Trenham
Thank you Father for these important words. God bless your Soul & your family ❤
Thank you for this word. I have been considering the advent fast for awhile and this has been spurring me on to do it!
This is such an extremely helpful video. Thank you Father Trenham
Let’s go
I'm already feeling it...😢
As a new convert to orthodoxy, i don't have much experience with fasting for religious reasons.
Though from before coming to orthodoxy, I've fasted quickly for many of its health benefits. A good book on this is the "complete guide to fasting" by MD. Jasson Fung.
From this perspective, i would say absolutely. Though combining fasting with proper religious teaching seems to me like a win win.
No, fasting is good. Done entire Lent when I was a kid and it felt good. So, you got my testimony to go by that it is good...
This was fantastic and absolutely not what I was expecting. I can’t do the fasts because I am severe type 2 diabetic and manage it with nutrition. I have to be carnivore. It’s very interesting what you say about nourishment not indulgence because I never get sick of red meat but it’s not a stimulating food. Carbs are extremely addictive, stimulating and moreish. You can only eat so much protein and fat before feeling satiated. If I had one jacket potato I would be full in an indulgent bloated way but not satiated. I’m thinking of doing a water fast one day a week as a fasting practice. That’s definitely doable. Love and blessings💖💖🙏🏻🤌🏻
I have only recently moved to carnivore diet and now wonder how to fast especially once the Great lent commence. Abstaining from the so many delicious foods I was consuming in the past I wonder if that abstinence we are already in can be called fasting...?
Sure would appreciate hearing a better Bible version, like Fr Patrick encouraged some time ago. I was very thankful for Fr Patrick and his faith in the old English Bible, the beautiful Word of God which has not been improved upon by the countless modern versions, commonly preferred among the Orthodox today. This amazes me. But thank you for the meditation. We are definitely preoccupied with earthly things far more than spiritual, over all. (That interruption for telling about new lectures was rather distracting, hindering the serious matter of this discourse.)
you're very good at complaining
We use the Septuagint and translations in Orthodoxy, not the Masoretic Text. So the old Bible one can possibly read the New Testament but needs a Septuagint translation.
As an orthodox-born young woman that attends church every sunday and sometimes throughout the week, who fasts every wednesday and friday and all four fasts of the year, I want to declare that it makes my life absolutely miserable, I detest it, it quite literally brings me on the verge of tears, it wrecks me emotionally and makes the days that I fast in useless. I do it partly out of general fear and partly because the idea of not recieving Holy Communion terrifies me even more. My spiritual father has no understanding whatsoever for me.
I just whish I would not have to fast so that I would not break away in tears of desperation so often, but the sheer fact of not fasting insights such a guilt in me that it ruins my day. I envy the roman catolics that have it so easy. Jordan peterson literally recomanded young women with anxiety to eat a large meat-based breakfast and it made their anxiety go away. Without any medication, only because their body had What it needed to funcționează amd it didn’t constantly cry ou for help. But in the orthodox eastern Europe, your anxiety is made up, it’s maby “Hysteria” because you’re a woman
I am so sorry to hear this my heart breaks for you 💔 Why does fasting cause you such pain?
Old calendar following orthodox starts on the 28th. ☦️
My issue with fasting has been trying to keep it secret. I just love and profit so much from fasting that I can’t help sharing with others sometimes. It doesn’t come from a spirit of bragging but from a spirit of joy and wishing others to profit from fasting as well.
Perhaps a way to safeguard yourself is to always wait until after the fast to share its fruit with others.
Do not bring attention to yourself in the midst of your fast, but instead after it is complete, seek in love to encourage your brothers and sisters in Christ.
-a Protestant brother who is examining your church with great sincerity.
I got you but at the same time it reminded me of one of my confessions in the past... where I confessed about looking at the gorgeous lady not with lusty intentions but with the admiration... and father hearing my confession quickly put me down to the ground level by saying - that is demonic too. So, please be cautious as pride and vainglory could possibly be disguising itself behind your otherwise good intentions.
Thank you for this precious clarity.
You cannot escape original sin, and you cannot escape the imperfections of the world we live in. Other things we can optimize
Unfortunately fasting for me only seems successfully fromthe physical perspective. Let me explain: i understand that when you fast prayer needs to increase. I do this. My weak soul thinks "what's the use" but my body responds very positively. So i ride that momentum and continue fasting for the apparent physical benefit but lose some focus on the spiritual. Hard to explain.
When I first started to prepare to be baptised, I was incredibly strict with my fasting. In a regular week I would fully abstain atleast 1 day per week, and so on and so on. I eventually however fell flat on my face and was humbled, realising id reduced the fast to its simple mechanical components- making it the fast of the demons. Do not forget, demons will try to help us fast if them doing so either puffs us up with pride, or distracts us from the true benefit of fasting. We may fast, but demons never eat.
@@enclave3908
The demon fast, exactly!
I hate that.
@@enclave3908We only fast from all foods on a few days a year including Great Friday.
Why was the 2023 conference topic changed?
What are the days of fasting? I want to convert to Orthodox
I don’t have a spiritual father as of now can any one tell me how I should schedule a fast, can you work and fast?
Yes u cann do it❤
Fasting is the worst time .I start fasting and my energy goes down .my work performance goes down since its a hard physical job. I break the fast get a burger. Energy goes back up for four days . Then goes back down again and the fasting rollercoaster begins. I really don't care about taste meat. I m tired of the up and down.
You can get a new rule from priest. With your job is alowed to not fast so strictly.
Talk to your spiritual father! Also try eating fruits, if you can, to help your blood sugar to be steady. Have some crackers, bread or something healthy to steady your blood sugar and give you energy too. Rice is good too. That's what I do.
May God bless you! ☦︎
@@moranaokeoke990It is best to leave the fast strictness to the spiritual father. My husband works a long shift job but has no altering of the fast.
Hello everyone! I am an Orthodox Christian from Ukraine. I am learning English. I have got one question. How do you (Americans) usually say - for example: «I have got a dog» or «I have a dog»? My textbook from USSR tells me that I must say «I have got a dog».
Thank you very much for your future answer. God be with you.
I have a dog.
I have a dog.
In our household we have diabetes, seizure disorder and dementia in the family history. We can’t eat carbs safely, so we do eggs, seafood and full fat dairy. Oddly enough, giving up bread, potatoes and sugar is more of a struggle than giving up meat was when we weren’t aware of these health issues as far as our desires go.
Diabetes, fatty liver, Alzheimer’s, cancer, metabolic disease, etc. are climbing in exactly the same trajectory as processed foods containing industrially produced seed oils, sugars and super refined foods.
Since these foods are harmful physically and as addictive as heroin, and also didn’t exist when the fasting regimen was established, might those who are not metabolically damaged by the standard American/western diet instead eat as the fasting pattern was originally and eat only one-ingredient foods as part of the discipline. These are usually less expensive, though they need more prep.
We do extended 24- and 36-hour complete fasts time to time as a sort of offset of our inability to fast traditionally. Your thoughts on this might be helpful in this time of epidemic diet caused diseases.
Ask your spiritual father how to fast for the fasts.
@@LadyMaria
We’ve done that. He’s been very supportive. I just thought a podcast for all might be apropos. Patriotic nectar seems like a great place for it. With all the ill health from high-sugar, super-processed, weird ingredient diet, I think addressing the traditional practice without harming yourself might be super important and helpful. Thanks for your concern
@@gordonstewart8258 Awesome! 🤗 Yeah, I've had to change my eating habits too. Lunch is now probiotic yogurt (can be non-dairy) and fruit. Dinner is probiotic yogurt first and something mild and filling. Trying for no preservatives and fillers or processed foods. Yes we must remember to do no harm during fasting. Better to stick to veggies, fruits, some breads (or whatever healthy foods you need).
@@LadyMaria
See Robert Lustig, interviews about book “Metabolical”. Also, Birman, “why we get sick”. First is a medical doctor, second a research scientist, if you want some good, balanced info 👍🏻
@@gordonstewart8258 Thank you! 💕
As a relatively new orthodox christian, when are we meant to fast and fast from what? If anyone here knows
Ask your priest brother, I’m also new and I am on a fast like children, easing into the practice. Talk with him and ask what you should do. In that way you’ll have his blessing and you’re not doing what you want yourself. It’s always better to do something with a blessing from your priest. Good luck 🙏🏻☦️
We fast on Wednesdays and Fridays from all animal products including fish, and oil and wine. We fast before the Nativity about 40 days, Pascha with Great Lent/Holy Week 46 days, the Apostles fast (a week or more) and Dormition fast (14 days). There's also a few other days we fast. As Fr. Josiah said, stick to things easily made and not expensive and can be leftovers.
We fast also from marital relations too in that time, anger, strife, things that are utterly time consuming. We are to increase prayer, going to Divine Services, etc.
If we are given food by someone no matter what it is we can eat it in a fast. It would be rude and prideful not to take it (unless you just don't like it or are allergic).
Ask your Priest about this to help him to direct you in a fast that will benefit you spiritually. Fasts can be tailored due to our weaknesses, in hopes of strengthening ourselves with God's grace.
There are calendar apps that tell us when to fast and what kind of fast it is (is oil and wine and/or fish allowed that day because it's a feast day in a fast?). The app also tells us what day it is in the Church, what Saints of the day there are, daily and festal Holy Scripture readings, daily and festal Troparia/Kontakia hymns, etc.
I'm in ROCOR so ours is called the "Orthodox Calendar" app by Holy Trinity Monastery. GOARCH has an app too, if you're in GOARCH. I'm not sure about the other jurisdictions.
May God bless you! ☦︎
Talk with the priest is best.
Today start strict Christams fast that last until 7th january.
I could tell you but as you are new, it could be hard for you, so best is to ask a priest.
No Meat
I have a question for you father. I am in recovery from a restrictive eating disorder and it is medically inadvisable for me to fast. Is there a way I can choose to go with out things other than food and still get the benefit and edification of fasting?
Ask your priest if Father Trenham doesn't answer. Ask them regardless.
Definitely ask your Spiritual Father or Priest.
Talk to your priest. They can help you with your question.
I'm in a similar position, I get medical anorexia caused by a congenital disease. You best bet is drinking plenty of water to keep your stomach expanded
@@DoIoannToKnowfew days ago i listened the priest that was talking about a skinny woman that was always fasting. At the end he found out she had anorexia and was hiding behind the fasting, and said for her fasting would be to eat more.
When fasting is bread and water allowed?
Yes ofc
Animal products (meat, dairy, eggs), fish, oil and wine are not allowed (except on feast days for the latter three) for Great Lent.
The Nativity Lent / Apostles fast / Dormition fast, no animal products; fish, oil and wine are allowed on certain days.
Wednesdays and Fridays, no animal products, fish, oil or wine (except on certain feast days for the latter three).
We are to eat simply and inexpensively. Also we are to reduce our portion sizes from the norm. A very small breakfast and lunch, and small dinner. Drinks must also be fast friendly.
Fasting of the body (including from marital rationals) must be accompanied by fasting of the heart and soul too. Less anger, arguing, irritation, negative things. There needs to be more prayer and worshiping of God including going to the Divine Services more often (unless one already goes to them all) and [if Orthodox] confessing regularly and communing frequently. Also, don't forget almsgiving!
Oh and remember to talk to your Priest or spiritual father about fasting, as fasts can be modified for the infirm or who are new to the Faith. Sometimes one can't fast from food due to infirmity or pregnancy so there's other things one can do.
Don't let yourself become hypoglycenmic. You can have fruits and many types of crackers and such things to keep one from passing out or worse.
Fasting is all about worship of God and repentance.
Hope this helps! May God bless you. ☦
I like to eat for the purpose of both Nutritional Nourishment and good Taste. Is that Heretodox and/or Hypocritical?
No, until it is done during the day we do not fast... if you are Orthodox.
I only eat fruit!
Glory to God ❤
For many Christians fasting is a diet.
Fasting eventually gives me insomnia and vice versa.
I've always had sleeping problems that ruined my ability to be more productive.
I wish so bad that God would answer a personal prayer but I'm too stupid anyways.
God bless!
I don't pray for health, I pray for the time to repent. That's what I want true repentance. We must all taste death, not all of us must taste the fruits of Paradise. I want to.
Don’t say you’re stupid, if you think about it that’s really and affront to God as much as yourself 💔
I have many health issues and food sensitivities and my health deteriorates during the fast but I’m going to talk to my priest about it and I hope you do too
Consume salts for electrolytes to get thru the fast. No Salt, baking soda and himalayan pink salt in a 2 liter of water. Shake it around and drinkt throughout the day
1 table spoon baking soda, 1 tea spoon of No Salt and himalayan pink salt in 2 liters of water.
@@karasu1982 - God bless but health is crucial. I think as long as we pray for the wisdom to be good stewards of it, it can glorify the Lord
Hi! I live in Romania! I suffer from p0rn addiction,never had a girlfriend and I am 31. How can I escape this sin?
I pray for you my brother. You will embrace Christ and when you do, you will feel the temptation leave you. Ask for the truth in your heart with humility and only He shall respond to that. Rebuke sin by the name of Jesus Christ and be born again! I believe God is preparing good things for you on the other side of your struggle. Place yourself in His hands and you will see, very soon.
@@alessandrohahn Thank you so much,man! I've need it this. Tried so the semen retention thing. From day 5 started the urges and I have failed again,I masturbated 4 times in that day.I blocked everything on my phone and deleted social media,but I still have my laptop form which I am trying to get rid of it.
I want you to know that the power of Jesus Christ is so mighty, so incomprehensibly loving, that even at your worst he is right beside you. Even when you think you don’t deserve His love anymore because you have done too much wrong and it’s too late. He is right there, simply waiting for you to accept Him. God sees your struggle and the fact you want to heal, and by the power of Jesus Christ you shall be healed! For he healed Lazarus, a stinking cadaver who had been dead for days. So do you think your filth is too much for Him to cleanse? I love you my brother, but I can’t come close to the love that God has for you, a love that was meant for you ever since before creation happened. ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Let’s be honest to ourselves… i’ve done this wrong myself.
Forgive me father, I am not making fun but I tried to look it up and can’t find anything. Why do you sometimes pronounce the “s” as “th”. Please help
I fasted forty days for Pascha in the beginning of the year. No food at all. The Nativity fast I broke and fasted only 20 days.
I fasted to get rid of my anger and lust. It helps, but after the fast, I lose it quite quickly.
I find fasting food easy, but get very bored and so I waste my time watching movies etc.
Food fasting is just one of the aspects of the fasting Orthodoxy is so keen about. Spiritual fast is to follow food fasting. Doing total fast w/o leadership of your spiritual father's guidance is BIG NO NO... and no wonder you are falling into despair...
@@johnnyd2383 I'm not falling into despair Father Johnny. And I think you're mistaken. Food fasting aids the Spiritual fast. That's the point. And I don't have a Spiritual Father, so I do what works best for me.
Jesus Christ in the Original Scriptures didn't eat Meat. Original Jesus states "He who Saves Man & beast" be merciful like the Father. Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) Jesus} To think of compassion for animal neighbors. To Kill an Ox is to Kill a man.
However The Europeans didnt have same disicpline like the First Middle easten Christians/Desert fathers they found this aspect of Christianity too difficult. Prime example the Europeans re.wrote parts from Gospel of Matthew, So Jesus ate Fish (he never did in the original text) Jesus ate Lamb at passover after he was crucified (he never did)
That why Monks, Ancorites, Majority of Coptics and Eastern Orthodox Patriach stay away from Carnal passion to eat Meat and refuse to use their stomach as a graveyard. Amen 🙏🏽☦️✝️
I agree with what you said and I appreciate your content a lot.
I have noticed that there is an element of dualism in modern Orthodox fasting, especially in the monastic tradition. They seek to harm the flesh through deprivation of building foods, especially the Russians. The Greeks don't do this as they allow for seafood and fish and are less strict in general. Russians seem to have to prove to the world that they're more hardcore than everyone.
Veganism is a terrible idea and often causes irreversible bodily harm. Orthodox Christians should be very cautious with this type of fast, especially young people that value their health and fertility. There's a reason that CPS will take your kids from you if you feed them a vegan diet. It's terrible for children's development, and it's just as bad for adults trying to maintain some semblance of health. I'm following a group on FB and there's young men on there saying that they have had severe gallbladder problems involving surgery from the vegan fasts. I've also seen liver and gallbladder issues in our local parish. There is no virtue in this, it's a shame! And worst of all, it pushes people away from the true faith, and not closer to it. It is a massive stumbling block for westerners converting to Orthodoxy, because they can see the sheer insanity of it.
Even life expectancy drops off in eastern Europe when you get to the RC/EO dividing lines. There is almost a 15 year lower life expectancy between the Greeks and the Slavs.
It's one thing if monks want to destroy their health in the woods, it's another to give their diet to lay people with families. The Orthodox episcopacy should not be encouraging veganism in the lay people, nor should it be looked at as something to aspire to. I would argue that even the Greek guidelines are not appropriate for western Europeans, who are poorly adapted to a grain based diet, which is already killing them. I'm not against fasting, but I fully believe that EO fasting guidelines are not appropriate in the West.
I don’t know if my opinion is too valid but I do amateur bodybuilding and I don’t think the vegan diet is all that harmful. The biggest problems I see for people is the low satiation of carbs and the lack of satiation and nutrients from the steep cut in protein. Most people don’t count calories let alone macros and that’s why there’s a deterioration in health. I find the best options for us westerners to be getting fat from nuts, and protein from vegan protein powders and shrimp if you can afford it. Most people only need 60-80grams of protein to maintain themselves. I’m on a cutting cycle and need 150g pray for me. It’s only 40 days and not too detrimental.
For health reasons, if you or any other Orthodox Christian can't do it, it is blessed not to do it.
In such cases, people get, from their Spiritual Father, a fast they can do without endangering their health. By economia, a SF tailors the fast to the needs of each spiritual child. Some folks may not be able to do a food fast at all. But fasting doesn't apply to food only. So pretty much everyone can fast.
But many SFs will not permit newbies, even if healthy, to plunge fully into food fasting, as they aren't accustomed to it.
All this is understood & shouldn't need comment.
Russians church is better than Grece nowdays and i m from another country than both of these
My brother, may the Lord bless you, i think being so careful about our health using physical approaches falls into the first category of what Father Josiah has mentioned that turns the fast worthless. God forgive me, my first fast was with the thought of "Hey, it's not that bad, i'll lose some weight if i do this, that's great". It was more of a diet than a fast. We have to trust God with our fasts, and He will provide the health, no matter what you do, not that physical health is the thing to seek anyway. Not saying we should crucify it completely like the monks, if we are still in the world, but not to make it an idol either.
And i think you don't have a correct view into the RC vs EO perspective in Eastern Europe vs the West. I am from Romania, there are lots of grannies and grandpas here that kept the fasts strictly for 60-70yrs+, one of my friend's grandmas is 95 and she is very pious, had 7 children, kept all the fasts more strictly than anyone i know. The life expectancy difference comes from bad healthcare, bad education about health, bad habits (lots of smoking, lots of drinking, lots of depression), stress about having to live with very little income, or working very stressful jobs, people not going to medical checkups at all, not from fasting!
I beg you not to turn people away from fasting with these arguments, and God forgive me if I am wrong, but i don't think you are correct.
I know what you mean. I have a chronic illness that the diet that most positively impacts my health is grain-free, legume-free, soy-free, dairy-free, for some reason when I go beyond the minimal amount of carbs it feels like I took a sedative
Sorry, but this is totally ridiculous
What is ridiculous.? Asceticism or way Orthodox Christians use fasting as a part of our asceticism.? Or something else... Care to explain yourself.?