Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Ash Wednesday thoughts: On Fasting by St. John Chrysostom
We have this fast as an ally, and as an assistant in this good intercession.
When the winter is over and the summer is appearing, the sailor draws his vessel to the deep; and the soldier burnishes his arms, and makes his horse ready for the battle; and the farmer sharpens his sickle; and the traveller boldly undertakes a long journey, and the wrestler strips and bares himself for competition.
So when the fast makes its appearance, like a kind of spiritual summer, let us like soldiers polish our weapons; and like farmers, let us sharpen our sickle; and like sailors, let us order our thoughts against the waves of extravagant desires; and as travellers let us set out on the journey towards heaven; and as wrestlers let us strip for the contest. For the believer is at once a farmer, and a sailor, and a soldier, a wrestler, and a traveller. Hence St. Paul saith, "We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers. Put on therefore the whole armour of God."
Have you watched the wrestler? Have you watched the soldier? If you are a wrestler, it is necessary to engage in the conflict naked. If a soldier, you must stand in the battle line armed at all points. How then are both these things possible, to be naked, and yet not naked; to be clothed, and yet not clothed! How? I will tell you.
Divest yourself of worldly business, and you will have become a wrestler. Put on the spiritual armour, and you will have become a soldier. Strip yourself of worldly cares, for the season is one of wrestling. Clothe yourself with the spiritual armour, for we have a heavy warfare to wage with demons.
Therefore it is necessary we should be naked, so as to offer nothing that the devil may take hold of, while he is wrestling with us; and to be fully armed at all points, so as on no side to receive a deadly blow. Cultivate your soul. Cut away the thorns. Sow the word of godliness. Propagate and nurse with much care the fair plants of divine wisdom, and you will have become a farmer. And Paul will say to you, "The farmer that works must be first partaker of the fruits. He too himself practised this art. Therefore writing to the Corinthians, he said, "I have planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase."
Sharpen your sickle, which you have blunted through gluttony-- sharpen it by fasting. Lay hold of the pathway which leads towards heaven; rugged and narrow as it is, lay hold of it, and journey on. And how are you able to do these things? By subduing your body, and bringing it into subjection.
For when the way grows narrow, the corpulence that comes of gluttony is a great hindrance. Keep down the waves of inordinate desires. Repel the tempest of evil thoughts. Preserve the ship; display much skill, and you will have become a pilot. But we shall have the fast for a groundwork and instructor in all these things.
From 21 Homilies on the Statues, Homily 3
_____
I look forward to Lent because it is a time blessed to strive to be ever closer to God...I was going to write something about why I like it, but St. John Chrysostom says it so well why it is good.
A link to writings by this great saint can be found here
When the winter is over and the summer is appearing, the sailor draws his vessel to the deep; and the soldier burnishes his arms, and makes his horse ready for the battle; and the farmer sharpens his sickle; and the traveller boldly undertakes a long journey, and the wrestler strips and bares himself for competition.
So when the fast makes its appearance, like a kind of spiritual summer, let us like soldiers polish our weapons; and like farmers, let us sharpen our sickle; and like sailors, let us order our thoughts against the waves of extravagant desires; and as travellers let us set out on the journey towards heaven; and as wrestlers let us strip for the contest. For the believer is at once a farmer, and a sailor, and a soldier, a wrestler, and a traveller. Hence St. Paul saith, "We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers. Put on therefore the whole armour of God."
Have you watched the wrestler? Have you watched the soldier? If you are a wrestler, it is necessary to engage in the conflict naked. If a soldier, you must stand in the battle line armed at all points. How then are both these things possible, to be naked, and yet not naked; to be clothed, and yet not clothed! How? I will tell you.
Divest yourself of worldly business, and you will have become a wrestler. Put on the spiritual armour, and you will have become a soldier. Strip yourself of worldly cares, for the season is one of wrestling. Clothe yourself with the spiritual armour, for we have a heavy warfare to wage with demons.
Therefore it is necessary we should be naked, so as to offer nothing that the devil may take hold of, while he is wrestling with us; and to be fully armed at all points, so as on no side to receive a deadly blow. Cultivate your soul. Cut away the thorns. Sow the word of godliness. Propagate and nurse with much care the fair plants of divine wisdom, and you will have become a farmer. And Paul will say to you, "The farmer that works must be first partaker of the fruits. He too himself practised this art. Therefore writing to the Corinthians, he said, "I have planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase."
Sharpen your sickle, which you have blunted through gluttony-- sharpen it by fasting. Lay hold of the pathway which leads towards heaven; rugged and narrow as it is, lay hold of it, and journey on. And how are you able to do these things? By subduing your body, and bringing it into subjection.
For when the way grows narrow, the corpulence that comes of gluttony is a great hindrance. Keep down the waves of inordinate desires. Repel the tempest of evil thoughts. Preserve the ship; display much skill, and you will have become a pilot. But we shall have the fast for a groundwork and instructor in all these things.
From 21 Homilies on the Statues, Homily 3
_____
I look forward to Lent because it is a time blessed to strive to be ever closer to God...I was going to write something about why I like it, but St. John Chrysostom says it so well why it is good.
A link to writings by this great saint can be found here
Labels: Lenten meditations, Ways of Holiness
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