Surprises on Fasting and Vigils

Fasting is supposed to hurt! We have all read of the ascetics whose faces were wan with fasting, but we never thought that could be for us. We all know, I hope that
before receiving the Mysteries, our fast must be perfect, and nothing may pass our lips unless we are ill. But the typikon and Sacred Tradition decrees the same high
standard for every fast day until at least the ninth hour, none, that is mid- afternoon, or sunset if we are strong. How we arrived at today’s pale imitation of fasting
is the story of Moslem Domination or the Immigration of the Russian Aristocracy, which before the Revolution was French speaking and that part of Russian
society farthest from the Church. Exception has become the rule. Fasting is supposed to hurt, to weaken and crucify the flesh! Nothing should be drunk until the fast
is over, or rather, the fast is over when we break fast by drinking or eating anything! Yes! This is why we have the Presanctified Liturgy in the mid-afternoon!
Whether we attend and communicate at the Presanctified Liturgy or not, we must fast as if we would!

St. Gregory of Nyssa already preached against those who did not communicate when they were seriously ill, (there were diabetics then too) and says they must
communicate even if they ate meat because of illness at the door of the church, but exceptions remain exceptions. The rule is no water, and if we absolutely must
drink water in order to function, let it be only water, not softdrinks. If we really must drink a stimulant, let it be as penitential as possible. I write this as an old man
and ill now, but when I was a young man in the monasteries of the Holy Land, I kept the fast all day, myself, and was shamed by those monks I saw who fasted
from water and food, three, and even five days every week!!! I am a poor example, and a disgrace, but I have seen real Christians, and real monks. I know how
Christians are supposed to live. This is still kept by the followers of the Old Calendar on Cypress, where I saw it, and in many other places from which pilgrims
came to the Holy City. This is not my imagining, but the living tradition maintained by our fathers until this time in many places. Anyone may go to Mar Saba,
Jerusalem, Cypress, and other places to see for themselves! In America, and even in the Russian Church Abroad, true fasting that hurts is almost unknown. The salt
is loosing its savour.

As to vigils or watches, even Protestants in my grandmother’s time observed these on special occasions. If today we could persuade people to simply unplug the
television sets on fast days, and the radio, and feed themselves with a book! What treasures of edification are available now for pennies! The Lives of the Saints, the
New Martyrs of Russia, the Paradise of the Fathers, Sts Cassian and Martin of Tours, the commentaries of the Fathers, Sts. Isaac and
Ephrem. The Martyrdom of Polycarp! Is once a week enough to read it? The Psalms... can we ever get enough of them? In Cyprus, I noticed that everyone in
church knew the Psalter by heart, and only looked at the book when they were distracted. Every night everyone turned out the lights and prayed Compline and the
Akathist to the Mother of God by heart. American monks are rarely so devout. If for vigils we began only by unplugging the television and radio..

By the very fact that many who read this have never even seen real Christians living the ordinary Christian life, and that these are now diminishing (and would die
rather than come to America!) we must conclude that the time is almost here when no one will be saving himself anymore, this earth will have no purpose in God's
plan anymore, and must inevitably be destroyed. "Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation. "Crucify the flesh with its lusts and affections." "Work out
your salvation with FEAR and TREMBLING." "Lay not up treasure on earth, but lay up treasure in Heaven... for where your treasure is there your heart will also
be."

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