Shroro

The Syriac Orthodox Christian Digest - March, 2005

Great Lent and the Easter

By Jose Kurian Puliyeril

Fasting was a common practice among Jews. Like Moses and Elijah, our Lord also fasted for forty days together. In addition to this Our Lord also fasted several times himself and with his blessed Apostles. Literally fasting means abstinence from food and drinks. Fasting is a voluntary act though it is widely popular in the religious aspects. Our Lord taught, “The evil goes not out, but by prayer and fasting.” (St. Matthew 17:21, St. Mark 9:29) According to the Jewish, Christian and Muslim religious concepts the fasting is very significant for the spiritual enrichment. In our Church the fasting is also known as Lent. (Lent literally means the period of fasting generally before Easter.) We have five canonical Lents, 3days to identify ourselves with the fasting of the people of Nineveh under the guidance of Prophet Jonah, 13 Days Lent to identify ourselves to the usual fasting of our Lord and his Apostles, 15 days Lent to celebrate the Ascension of St. Mary, Mother of God, 25 days Lent to welcome the holy incarnation of our Savior and finally the 50 days Lent to participate the passions of our Lord, death on the Cross, burial, and finally the Resurrection from the death, which is also known as the Easter. During all the Lents, we the faithful in India abstain from meat products, fish products, eggs milk and milk products. Very few people only in Indian Church are abstaining from complete eatables and drinks. But we should not forget the fact that there is no Lent without fasting. The Holy Church has given permission to fast up to evening, or up to 3’o clock or up to noon. In fact we don’t have a Lent without fasting. The Holy Church permits its members to fast according to one’s own physical capacity. Our Church also used to fast from morning till evening, in the early centuries. In those days our people observed complete fasting from food and drinks during the daytime(It is heard that we were forbidden from taking bath in rivers, ponds and pools, with the fear of the entry of water drops through the sense organs).

In Nehemiah 9:1 we read of an assembly of the faithful for fasting. We know how the entire people of Nineveh fasted upon the exhortation of Prophet Jonah. The Psalmist says (Psalms 35:13) I humbled my soul with fasting. Again he says, “I chastened my soul with fasting. “ (Psalms 69:10) In Psalms 109:24 he says, “My knees are weak through fasting”. These verses are guidelines for us to observe fasting. St. Paul exhorts in I Corinthians 7:5 to “give yourselves to fasting and prayer”. In 2 Corinthians 11:27 we hear about the experience of being in fasting often. Our Lord Jesus Christ had a unique teaching about fasting. He cautions us not to be hypocrites when we might fast. Kindly read St. Matthew 6:16. The Jews used to fast two days a week. See St. Luke 18: 12. We must think seriously whether we must observe the fasting as observed by our Savior as well as the early Church including the Apostles. It is high time for us to convert our Lents as real and meaningful fasting seasons, in real repentance, as still observed by many across the globe. Fasting is a need of the current era, not only for the spiritual needs, but also for the physical fitness and good health. Many modern Doctors advise their patients to fast for certain periods.

Let us see what is said in our prayers of the Lenten season. “Lord Jesus you have humbled yourself for our salvation and had been kind enough to offer yourself for the temptations of Satan. And you have taught the Church to win the Satan who always fights the faithful, with suitable fasting and prayer”. Holy fasting, we welcome you, by which our great grand father Adam’s desire for food had been foiled. The fasting observed by our Savior for us, we welcome thee. Let us kneel down before our savior and adore him”. Lord! Enable us to accept the fasting with innocent love and to welcome it with real joy. Make us worthy to observe fasting as per your will. How pleasant is the incense of the fasting. The holy fasting is the sign of victory and a strong weapon to fight the enemy.” Lord! You have granted us the wealth of fasting. Make us worthy to take care of it with discipline. As the number of spiritual gifts increases during the Lenten season, we should not be idle and lazy. Our enemy is vigil and is after us always to derail us to deep falls and brutal destruction. He hides among us to trap our souls. Fasting is really good. But it won’t be great if one observes it without love. Prayer is sweet and beloved. If the love does not encourage the wings, they will be weak forever. Such cannot see God.” “If one get rid of the evil and observes the fasting with intelligent and clean heart, he/she will be blessed. He/she becomes the holy temple of god, which serves God always privately and publicly. Lord, let our prayers be for our obedience and let our fasting be for your favors. If one gets rid of the mortal and evil desires and observes the fasting with perfection, he/she will be blessed. The salvation and the paradise do wait for such. As Elijah entered heaven after fasting for forty days, all those who do fast are in heaven.” “If one observes fasting with due divinity, and share his/her bread among the needy, they will be blessed. Such would be benefited from God Almighty who is compassionate and merciful. One who observes the fasting of our Lord must disconnect their thoughts from the desires and must raise their eyes to God Almighty”.

This is the beautiful fasting, which offers us spiritual lives and chance to enter heaven. So you be loving, honest, and pure. Let your heart be free from cheating natures and let your mind be free from injustice. You be loving to your brother and kind to the one who might advise you. If so God will listen to your supplications and will be kind to you.” “Fasting without food and water, as such is not great. If almsgiving is there during fasting, they become great in God’s sight. One, who cares the poor and needy while fasting, is eligible for greater rewards from God Almighty. God will accept their fasting. If one is not wealthy enough to give alms, let his or her fasting be filled with love to the poor and needy. God will bless such”

“The food and water granted by God for the existence of life does not become the reason for sin or forgiveness of sin. We have to get rid of evilness and do good. If so, God would be pleased in your fasting. I am willingly committing sins and willingly repenting. Lord, have mercy on us on the Day of Judgment. When the belly is empty without food, you talk and win others. May God fill you with His goodness.”

Many keep jealousy and enmity while fasting. There are few others who might avoid liquors and at the same time they might kill their brothers in secret. Daniel could make the Lions close their mouths. The children Hananiah etc stopped the flames of strong fire. Let us also observe the fasting in the systematic way, so that we might be mixed up with spiritually rich.” The descendants of a faithful who fasts regularly will be mixed up with angels. If your fasting is really as good as the honey, and if your tongue will be bitter in taste.” “When you will fast, try not to abuse your brother. Otherwise the odd smell from your fasting will disturb Lord God. Try to earn the favor of the one who might curse you. Praise be to God the Father who forgets the wrath due to the fasting of the faithful, Praise be to God the Son who forgives our sins, Praise be to God the Holy Spirit, who has granted fasting to the Church as a powerful weapon”.

Easter is the feast of the blessed Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. After suffering the passions and death on the Cross-, our Lord was buried and on the third day He rose from the dead. The feast of Resurrection is the most important festival of Christians. In early years of Christianity, the feast was known as the feast of Resurrection only and only later we accepted the name ‘Easter’. Easter/Resurrection is the festival of new life. While we celebrate Easter, we must long to have a new life. When a faithful takes a re-birth through Baptism, he/she dies, buries and resurrects with our Lord Jesus. A baptized child is a newborn in Lord Jesus. That is why the infants those who take baptism are immersed in the water of the baptism font by the celebrant. While the child is lifted up from the water, it identifies to the resurrection of the child with Lord Christ. (Please refer Romans 6) For us the faithful what must be the effect and significance of Easter. What the Apostles did on the first day of Resurrection? They ran to the tomb to see Christ. They spent the day with Christ. They enjoyed in Christ. This is what we also have to do. Let us run to him and see him in His blessed new life. Realize the fact and believe in our hearts. Let us spend our time with Him and enjoy the rest of our lives in Him. When the Apostles and the other faithful met our Lord, He gave them the peace. Let our Lord grant us also His divine peace.

May God bless all of us to enjoy a blessed Easter.

A Happy Easter to one and all.