The Dormition Fast – it is about “us”.

Posted on August 1, 2025 Tagged bible, christianity, Fasting, jesus, prayer, TheotokosLeave a comment

As we enter the final month of summer holidays, we are presented with the two week fast, as being part of our preparation for the Dormition of the most holy Theotokos and ever virgin Mary. To be honest, no fast is easy, and I suppose that one could make an excuse to avoid fasting in any of the four major fasts (Great Lent, Advent, the Apostles fast, and the Dormition fast) yet these summer fasts always seem to be either waterdown or completely ignored. This is for obvious reasons, given that they happen when most of us are away on holiday, visiting family and friends, or just relaxing – not to mention it is a challenge trying to fast when no one else (family or friends) is fasting.

I more than understand the challenge of this fast, and as always, I recommend that if fasting rules can’t be entirely followed due to one thing or another, that we defer to modesty and restraint; we shouldn’t eat as much as we want, or as St. Cassian says “stop eating while still hungry and do not continue until you are satisfied”.

All this being said, fasting is more than just a diet, in fact the restraint from certain foods is only part of a fast. We are called to pray more, be less distracted, and be more charitable.

While it might be hard to refuse eating meat at a friend’s BBQ, or when traveling – there is generally nothing compeling us to spend hours upon hours scrolling on our phones, or inhibiting us from taking time to silence our thoughts, and pray throughout the day; let alone prohibit us from thinking, and more to the point – acting – in serving the needs of those who are in want. If we are being honest, making time for prayer, and charity are far more challenging than being vegan for a couple of weeks.

It is one thing to fast from food; but to put the phone down when one is bored, and pray for the people around you, or just say the Jesus prayer (Lord Jesus Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner) is something completely different – indeed it seems fruitless. It is one thing to fast from food; but to be in silence even for a few minutes, for the sake of recognizing both our brokenness and needs, and the love offered to us, is something completely different – indeed this is even uncomfortable. I suppose anyone can fast from food; but to pray for those in need – and more than that, to serve and provide for them, as we would desire and expect to be served (which is to say very well) is something completely different – indeed it is counterintuitive.

Fasting from food has profound value- and should not be outrightly dismissed, yet without our willingness to engage the counter intuitive, or uncomfortable, and seemingly fruitless “little things” like putting down our phones to pray or being in silence to be reflective, or put our prayer for those in need, by serving and providing for them, we open our hearts to see that it isn’t just about “me” – rather it is about the relationships that we have with those around us (whether they be friends, family or strangers) and our relationship with a loving God. It is about “us”.

After all, fasting in all its forms, is a way for us to see and understand the saving work of the Lord for each of us; and to see specifically that it is done for “us” by the Lord who humbles Himself to be with “us” (Cf. Phil. 2:7). The Dormition of the Theotokos is a feast that brings this all in sharp focus; for when the Theotokos said “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” (Lk. 1:38), she dismissed the concept of “me” and opened her heart to bear the Lord of Glory – being a part of what the Lord was doing for “us” in his saving love for humanity; by being with “us” as a child being carried in her womb like every person. Truly the Theotokos exemplifies that salvation is about “us” – the divine and the created.

Even in these heady days of summer, this feast which we are preparing ourselves for through fasting, prayer and charity, is the opportunity to broaden our perspective and follow the example of the most holy Theotokos. That we like her can bear Christ – in our own hearts – manifesting the love of the Lord for “us” to a world mired in the loneliness of isolation of individuality, the manifestation of the “me”.

By the prayers of the most holy Theotokos, may the Lord bless our fasting, prayers and charity with peace and mercy.

A joyful fast (Advent)

Posted on November 14, 2024 Tagged Advent, bible, Christmas, faith, Fasting, jesus, Orthodox, Orthodox Canada, Orthodox Church in America, Orthodox mission, Orthodoxy, prayerLeave a comment

As we begin the 40 day fast leading to Christmas (Advent), it is helpful to remind ourselves of the reason we fast. It is not self mortification, or a kind of penance, in fact it isn’t anything negative or sorrowful (although it might feel like that). On the contrary, the call to fast is ultimately joyfully positive in its application and goal.

The call to fast at certain times of the year, presents us the opportunity to broaden our perspective by exercising a degree of restraint with those things we eat, and those things we do; yet the temptation to forget the reasons we fast, can have the opposite effect, and narrow our perspective – both with God and neighbour alike.

If one could summarise the whole practice of fasting (as understood in the Orthodox Church) it would be the call for us to put aside our normal wants, and desires (for a time) that we can see something more than ourselves as being the centre of everything. The intended effect of this work (and it is work!) is that we see those around us not simply as the “others” whose struggles don’t have anything to do with us; but rather as people just like you and me, whose struggles to get through the day, week, season or years, are not unlike our struggles (in either principle or actuality). What is presented is that those “others” are people just like you and me, seeking the same kinds of things we seek – hope and deliverance – from the challenges, labours, and sorrows of life. I suppose a glib or negative way of looking at this is that “misery loves company”, yet our faith calls us to consider that no one is alone in carrying the burdens and tragedies of life; not even the Lord Himself – for God in his mercy and love for humanity, “made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.” (Phil. 2:8,9). It is in this that there is an even greater revelation that our fasting reveals.

In looking beyond ourselves, we recognise the struggles of those around us, as being our struggles; and in this we see that with greater clarity the love of God who takes on these struggles for us, reconciling them all in His saving victory and abiding presence. This is the perspective that compels us to look beyond ourselves, so that we can offer and serve those around us as brothers and sisters, because “even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” (Mk. 10:45). Truly this is a “hope that does not disappoint” (Rm. 5:5), and a deliverance from the bondage of sin and death that all humanity seeks. This is nothing short of a wonder. For we not only can behold the hope and deliverance that the Lord manifests, but also participate in it – Revealed mystically in our fasting as we journey to Bethlehem, and the timelessly feast that is the Nativity in the Flesh of our Lord God and Saviour Jesus Christ.

We fast from certain foods (as best as we can) and behaviours, not simply because “we have to”; but because with joy, we seek to clear away those distractions that inhibit the eyes of our hearts from beholding a God who comes to us identifying Himself with those who are hungry, thirsty, sick, naked and in prison (Mt. 25:36-44). We offer charity and alms not simply because “people need help”; but because, the Lord in seeing our necessity, acts out of love for us in becoming like us in every way except sin, that we might by the grace of the Holy Spirit cry out “Abba, Father” (Rm. 8:15).

Advent (and any fast) is meant to be a joyful anticipation in that hope that we and those around us have in “His calling”, bestowing upon all humanity “the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints” (Eph. 1:18). Advent (and any fast) is meant to be a joyful participation in the deliverance“from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God” (Rm. 8:21)

May we have the eyes of faith to see in this season of fasting something greater than ourselves and our needs – to see those around us, and to see the Lord’s love for them and us. In this season of fasting, may we have the strength to act and in serving those around us, as the Lord is continually serving us, out of His unending and boundless love.

How could any fast (let alone this Advent fast) that reveals these things, not be understood as anything less than joyful and positive in its application and goal.

The Temptation of Christ, and our Lenten Discipline. (Esther G. Juce)

Posted on February 28, 2023 Tagged Fasting, Great Lent, Orthodox, Orthodox Church in AmericaLeave a comment

The Temptation of Christ According to Luke 4:1-13 and Its Application to Our Church’s Lenten Discipline

Luke 4:1-13, and its parallel in Matthew (Mt 4:1-13), used to scare me when I was a kid because they mentioned the devil. Then, as I grew up, I learned that Christ has overcome the devil, and that there is no longer anything to fear. So why are these potentially disturbing passages in the Bible in the first place? The simple answer is that by showing us how Christ has conquered temptation, by His mercy and power, we can be able to do the same.

During Great Lent, the Church instructs us to increase our fasting, prayer, and almsgiving. Luke 4:1-13 describes how Jesus uses these three graces to overcome temptation. The setting of this scripture is the desert, recalling the Israelites’ wandering in the wilderness for forty years during their journey to the Promised Land. The Evangelist Luke tells us that for forty days Jesus also has been in the wilderness, and there is tempted by the devil. Christ’s salvific responses to the devil’s three temptations not only fulfill scripture, but they also give us a guide for our own forty-day Lenten journey, and thus for our entire lives. Let’s follow our Saviour’s way through the desert.

The devil uses many schemes to tempt Jesus. Satan begins with pride: “If you are the Son of God…”(Luke 4:3a, 9b) and “To you I will give all this authority and their glory…” (Luke 4:6a). He continues with magic: “…command this stone to become bread” (Luke 4:3b); and “…throw yourself down from here.” (Luke 4:9c). Satan even quotes scripture in order to tempt our Lord: In verses 9-11, Satan says, “For it is written, ‘He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you,’ and ‘In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone.'” (Luke 4:10-11 quoting Psalms 90 (91):11,12)

Each temptation involves a different aspect of our fallen human existence and weakness. The first is about physical need, because Jesus is hungry after having had nothing to eat for forty days (Luke 4:2b). The second temptation is about earthly power and glory (Luke 4:6). And the third is about irresponsible and careless living (Luke 4:9-10).

Christ responds to these three temptations with scripture, all from the book of Deuteronomy. These passages in Deuteronomy are set in the Israelites’ forty years of wandering in the desert. The Hebrews did not fare well there; none of them made it to the Promised Land. Thankfully, though, Jesus shows us the way: His triumph over the temptations in the wilderness not only corrects the Israelites’ weakness, but also gives us a practical guide in how to follow Christ in overcoming our temptations on our journey with Him into the Promised Land.

The first temptation is that Jesus should turn a stone into bread. He replies with Deuteronomy 8:3: “Man does not live by bread alone…” (Luke 4:3-4) Deuteronomy says that the Hebrews had been murmuring that they had no bread. The passage then explains that the Lord was humbling the Israelites them in order to test them, to see what was in their hearts, and to see if they would follow His commandments. God allowed them to hunger, and then fed them with manna from heaven (Deuteronomy 8:2-3. See Exodus 16). So the Lord fed them and took care of them: He helped the Israelites to understand that they were, as we are, completely dependent upon God not only for food, but for all things.

The second temptation is that Jesus could have the power and glory over all of the kingdoms of the world in return for worshiping the devil. Jesus replies with Deuteronomy 6:13: “You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only shall you serve.” (Luke 4:5-8) Deuteronomy says that the Lord was reminding the Israelites that it was He, the Lord their God, who had brought them out of the house of bondage in Egypt. (Deuteronomy 6:10-12) Because the Israelites accepted this deliverance, they were not to go after other gods, but to fear, worship, and serve the Lord their God only (Deuteronomy 6:13-19. See Exodus 15:1-18). So the Lord delivered them: He reminded the Israelites of the love He has in His Covenant for His people, and therefore for us all.

The third temptation is that Jesus should throw himself off of the pinnacle of the temple to demonstrate that God would send His angels to save him. Jesus replies with Deuteronomy 6:16: “You shall not tempt the Lord your God.” (Luke 4:9-12). This scripture in Deuteronomy alludes to the incident at Massah. (Deuteronomy 6:16. See Exodus 17:1-7) Here the children of Israel had been complaining that they had no water to drink, putting the Lord to the test by saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?” God answered by instructing Moses to strike with his rod the rock at Mount Horeb, and then water miraculously gushed out of the rock. So the Lord responded to their testing (tempting) Him: He put an end to their doubts and questions about Him by loving them and providing for them, as He does for us.

Yes, Christ’s responses to the devil’s temptations are based on scripture, but these responses also demonstrate the Lord’s love for us. In every instance of the Hebrews’ grumbling, doubting, and unfaithfulness in the wilderness, God provided for them and offered them an everlasting Covenant. In the same manner, the Lord responds to us in our time of need with His Love, extends his Covenant to us, and leads us to the Promised Land of His Kingdom.

Today, we, like Jesus, face these same temptations. We are tested about our bodily needs, about the attraction of earthly power and glory, and about living recklessly without care. By allowing God to work in and with us, we have been given in His Church the tools to address these temptations. During the Lenten season, we are instructed to fast from certain foods and activities in order to remember that we are dependent upon the Lord for all things. We are instructed to increase our prayer in order to say “Yes” to the Lord our God and to His Covenant, and to therefore worship Him only. We are instructed to increase our almsgiving in order to have more care for ourselves and for others. By following our Church’s Tradition of fasting, praying, and almsgiving, both during Great Lent and extending to every day of our lives, we can work with our Lord to conquer the temptations that lie before us.

In conclusion, during our Lenten journey, let us follow the Lord Jesus, the Example of examples. Let us follow Him into the wilderness in order to fight our temptations. Let us increase our love of God and of our neighbours through more fasting, prayer, and almsgiving. And let us accept and embrace the Lord, the One who has delivered us and who is bringing us into His Inheritance of the Promised Land.

Esther G. Juce