Fasting: Worthless or Life-Changing?

Summary

In this video script, the speaker discusses the significance of fasting during the Nativity and Advent for Orthodox and Catholic Christians, respectively. Drawing from Isaiah 58, the speaker distinguishes between worthless and life-changing fasting, emphasizing that true fasting involves selflessness, compassion, and reconciliation. The script outlines six promises of true fasting, including inner transformation and spiritual empowerment, ultimately encouraging a reflective and purposeful approach to this religious practice.

Takeaways

• 🙏 The speaker emphasizes the importance of the Nativity Fast for Orthodox Christians and the Advent for Catholics, highlighting the significance of these religious observances.
• 📖 The script discusses the difference between 'worthless' and 'life-changing' fasting, referencing the 58th chapter of the Book of Isaiah for guidance on true fasting.
• 🔍 The speaker critiques 'worthless' fasting, identifying three main issues: focusing on personal desires, lack of compassion for others, and fostering anger and strife.
• 🍞 The importance of sharing and generosity during fasting is highlighted, suggesting that one should reduce their food budget and give the surplus to those in need.
• 🤝 The script encourages reconciliation with family members and extending compassion beyond one's own needs, as part of the transformative power of fasting.
• 🕊️ Fasting is presented as a time for spiritual growth, where one should focus on prayer, reading scripture, and acts of mercy to overcome the temptations of the flesh.
• 🌟 The speaker outlines six promises from Isaiah for those who engage in true fasting, including inner light, divine protection, answered prayers, vanishing gloom, physical strength, and establishing God's Kingdom.
• 📚 A new lecture series called 'The Original Church Lectures on the Acts of the Apostles' by Father Josiah Trenum is announced, focusing on the early Christian life as depicted in the Acts.
• 🌱 The script uses vivid imagery from Isaiah to illustrate the transformative effects of true fasting, likening it to a well-watered garden and a spring of water.
• 🙌 The call to action is for listeners to embrace the fast as the Lord desires, to experience a change in their spiritual life and contribute to the glory of God.
• 🌐 The script concludes with an invitation to visit patristic nectar Publications' website for more resources on Christian teachings and the new lecture series.

Q & A

What are the two most serious fasting periods for Orthodox Christians?

The two most serious fasting periods for Orthodox Christians are the Great Lent, which leads up to Easter, and the Nativity Fast, which is the 40 days leading up to the birth of Christ.

What does the speaker suggest is the difference between a worthless fast and a life-changing fast?

A worthless fast is one that is done for selfish reasons, without compassion for others, and can even lead to contention and strife. A life-changing fast, on the other hand, is one that is done with the intention of self-denial, compassion, and acts of mercy, aligning with the teachings of the Prophet Isaiah.

According to the speaker, what are some common mistakes people make during fasting that render it worthless?

Common mistakes include focusing on one's own desires, driving hard on workers, and engaging in contention and strife. These actions go against the spirit of fasting, which should be about self-denial and compassion for others.

What does the text from the 58th chapter of the prophecy of Isaiah emphasize about fasting?

The text emphasizes that a true fast is one that involves loosening the bonds of wickedness, undoing the bands of the yoke, letting the oppressed go free, and breaking every yoke to bring freedom to others. It is about lifting up the downcast, inspiring the depressed, and consoling the lonely.

What are some of the promises given in Isaiah 58:8-12 for those who engage in true fasting?

The promises include the fleeing of inner darkness and the filling of light, sensing God's protection, answered prayers, the vanishing of gloom and discouragement, new strength in the body, and the ability to help establish God's Kingdom.

What does the speaker suggest families do with their food budget during fasting periods?

The speaker suggests that families should try to reduce their food budget by 50% during fasting periods, and use the saved amount to give to those who are hungry and in need.

How does the speaker describe the spiritual benefits of embracing a life-changing fast?

The speaker describes the spiritual benefits as including increased self-awareness, humility, reliance on God, and the transformation of one's life in accordance with the teachings of the Church and the scriptures.

What is the new lecture series mentioned by the speaker, and where can it be found?

The new lecture series is called 'The Original Church Lectures on the Acts of the Apostles' by Father Josiah Trenum. It can be found on the website patristicnar.org.

What is the significance of the Acts of the Apostles in the context of the lecture series?

The Acts of the Apostles, written by the Apostle and evangelist Luke, is significant as it shows the new Christian life made possible by the Lord's deeds and the descent of the Holy Spirit, illustrating the continuous miracle of church life.

What is the speaker's advice on how to approach fasting in a way that avoids strife and contention?

The speaker advises that during fasting, one should focus on gentleness, calmness, and self-denial, avoiding the replacement of desires with other forms of indulgence, and ensuring that the fast is not a source of anger or violence.

Outlines

00:00

🙏 The Essence of Meaningful Fasting

The speaker begins by acknowledging the audience and wishing them well during the Nativity Fast for Orthodox Christians and the upcoming Advent for Catholics. They introduce the topic of fasting, noting that not everyone has a positive experience with it. The speaker aims to guide the audience through the prophet Isaiah's teachings on the difference between worthless and life-changing fasting. They reference Isaiah 58 as a key scripture that outlines what constitutes a fast that is respected by God. The audience is encouraged to reflect on their fasting practices to ensure they are not merely going through the motions but are genuinely seeking spiritual growth and transformation.

05:03

🌾 Avoiding Worthless Fasting and Embracing Spiritual Growth

The speaker delves into the pitfalls of worthless fasting, as described by the Lord through Isaiah. They highlight three main issues: fasting for personal desires, lacking compassion for others, and engaging in contention and strife. The speaker warns against the temptation to replace indulgences with alternative but still self-focused practices, emphasizing the importance of simplicity and compassion during the fast. They urge the audience to focus on spiritual acquisition rather than material wealth and to ensure that their fasting is not leading to anger or violence, which would negate its purpose. The speaker also introduces a new lecture series on the Acts of the Apostles, suggesting further resources for spiritual enlightenment.

10:05

🤲 Transformative Fasting: God's Preferred Approach

Continuing the discussion on fasting, the speaker outlines what constitutes a life-changing fast according to Isaiah. They emphasize the importance of humility, compassion, and the pursuit of righteousness. The fast should involve acts of mercy, such as sharing with the hungry, housing the homeless, and clothing the naked. The speaker encourages reconciliation with estranged family members and the practice of unconditional love and kindness. They highlight that true fasting should lead to personal transformation, with God's grace poured out on those who engage in it, resulting in a deeper spiritual life and a more compassionate existence.

15:08

🌟 Promises of True Fasting: Spiritual Benefits and Blessings

The speaker concludes the reflection by sharing the promises of true fasting as stated in Isaiah 58:8-12. They list six promises, including the dispelling of inner darkness, divine protection, answered prayers, vanishing gloom, renewed physical strength, and the establishment of God's kingdom. The speaker encourages the audience to embrace the true spirit of fasting to experience these spiritual gifts and blessings. They also promote the new lecture series on the Acts of the Apostles as a resource for deepening one's understanding of Christian life and the teachings of the early Church.

Keywords

💡Fasting

Fasting is the practice of abstaining from food, drink, or other physical needs for a spiritual purpose. In the context of the video, it refers to the religious observance of self-denial, particularly in Christian traditions like the Orthodox and Catholic faiths during specific seasons like the Nativity Fast and Advent. The script discusses the difference between fasting that is 'worthless' and that which is 'lifechanging,' emphasizing the latter as a means to spiritual growth and closer relationship with God.

💡Nativity Fast

The Nativity Fast is a period of fasting observed by Orthodox Christians leading up to the celebration of the birth of Christ. It is mentioned in the script as the current fasting period that has begun on the 15th of the month. The video discusses the significance of this fast and how it should be observed to be spiritually beneficial.

💡Advent

Advent is a season observed in Western Christianity as a time of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus at Christmas. The script mentions Advent as starting in a few weeks and extends fasting wishes to Catholic friends who observe this season.

💡Worthless Fasting

Worthless fasting, as discussed in the script, refers to the practice of fasting that does not bring about spiritual growth or please God. It is characterized by fasting for selfish desires, lack of compassion for others, and harboring anger or strife. The speaker uses examples from the script to illustrate the negative aspects of such fasting and contrasts it with the positive form.

💡Lifechanging Fasting

Lifechanging fasting is the opposite of worthless fasting. It is a form of fasting that is spiritually beneficial and pleasing to God. The script describes it as a fast that involves acts of mercy, kindness, and compassion, such as feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, and showing love to others, including one's own family members.

💡Isaiah

Isaiah is a prophet in the Hebrew Bible who is quoted in the script to discuss the nature of true fasting. The speaker references the 58th chapter of the Book of Isaiah to highlight the teachings on what constitutes a fast that is respected by God and leads to spiritual transformation.

💡Self-Denial

Self-denial is the act of restraining one's desires and needs for a higher purpose, often spiritual. In the script, self-denial is a key component of the lifechanging fasting, where individuals give up things that please them to focus more on spiritual growth and acts of mercy.

💡Mercy

Mercy is the act of showing compassion or forgiveness. The script emphasizes mercy as a central aspect of lifechanging fasting, encouraging believers to show mercy to others, especially the less fortunate, as part of their spiritual practice.

💡Reconciliation

Reconciliation refers to the restoration of friendly relations. In the context of the video, it is mentioned as an important aspect of lifechanging fasting, where individuals are encouraged to reconcile with family members or others they may have conflicts with, as an act of love and mercy.

💡Spiritual Growth

Spiritual growth is the process of developing spiritually, often through practices like prayer, meditation, and self-reflection. The script discusses how lifechanging fasting can lead to spiritual growth by helping individuals focus on God and acts of kindness, rather than worldly desires.

💡Promises of True Fasting

The script concludes with a discussion of the 'promises of true fasting,' which are the spiritual benefits that God promises to those who engage in lifechanging fasting. These include inner light, God's protection, answered prayers, vanishing gloom, physical strength, and the establishment of God's kingdom.

Highlights

Introduction to the significance of the Nativity Fast for Orthodox Christians and the Advent for Catholics.

The importance of understanding the difference between a worthless fast and a life-changing fast.

Reference to the 58th chapter of the prophecy of Isaiah for guidance on life-changing fasting.

God's critique of the people's fasting, highlighting their self-centered approach.

The three ways that fasting can become worthless according to the Lord's words.

The temptation to replace indulgences with alternative but still self-focused behaviors during fasting.

The importance of compassion and not burdening others during one's own fast.

The potential for anger and violence as a result of fasting without proper spiritual focus.

The transformative power of genuine fasting in exposing spiritual weaknesses.

The call to humility and reliance on God as a result of understanding one's spiritual state.

Description of a life-changing fast that includes acts of mercy, kindness, and compassion.

The practice of sharing resources and reducing personal consumption during the fast.

The spiritual benefits of visiting and caring for the elderly in one's community.

The significance of reconciliation and reaching out to estranged family members during the fast.

Promises of spiritual rewards for embracing a life-changing fast as described in Isaiah 58.

Six promises from Isaiah 58:8-12, including inner light, God's protection, answered prayers, and more.

The announcement of a new lecture series on the Acts of the Apostles by Father Josiah Trenum.

Details about the content and purpose of the 'Original Church Lectures on the Acts of the Apostles' series.

Transcripts

hey everyone God bless you thanks a lot

for tuning in and uh best wishes to all

of you for a sole profiting fast of the

Nativity for us Orthodox Christians we

just started on the 15th of this month

our second most serious fast of the year

which is the fast of the 40 days leading

up to the birth of Christ the

celebration of his

Incarnation for our Catholic friends the

Advent will start uh in just a few weeks

and wish you very very very fruitful

fasting and it's about that that i' like

to talk for a

minute not all of us have a great

experience with fasting not all of us

have found our way through the weeds

into a Grace filled fast and so I'd like

to in this reflection help you think

through with the help of the prophet

Isaiah the difference between fasting

that is worthless and fasting that is

lifechanging fasting worthless or life

changing and the text I'm drawing from

is the 58th chapter of the prophecy of

Isaiah it is perhaps uh the most clear

counsel in all of the scriptures about

the details of life-changing fasting a

fasting that uh is respected by God a

fast that the Lord God himself cons

considers to be a true fast and he pours

out his grace on those who engage in

it this chapter begins with a great

sorrow uh God is through his Prophet

reflecting on the fact that his people

are fasting worthlessly let me read the

text to you this is the word of the Lord

to Isaiah cry loudly and do not hold

back Raise Your Voice like a trumpet and

declare to my people their transgression

oof and to the house of Jacob their sins

yet they seek me day by day and Delight

to know my ways this is the Lord talking

and he's very upset at his people he's

asking the prophet to critique them to

Proclaim uh uh and and criticize them

for their sins and call them to

repentance and yet now he's explaining

what the people are thinking they seek

me day by day they Delight to know my

ways this is their mind oh but I'm

seeking God oh I'm praying I am fasting

and I'm I Delight to be near God as a

nation that has done righteousness and

has not forsaken the ordinance of their

God they thought that they were an

upright people they had a high opinion

of themselves extremely

dangerous they asked me for just

decisions they Delight in The Nearness

of God but then they say why have we

fasted and you do not

see why have we humbled

ourselves and you do not

notice the people are engaged in fasting

but it's even to their own knowledge not

only is it worthless in God's sight they

know that it's worthless

they feel that they're going nowhere do

you ever feel that way uh in

fasting that perhaps they're just not

getting it and it's not accomplishing

what you had hoped that would accomplish

that is exactly the experience of the

people of God uh in this

text and God is now going to tell them

exactly why they're feeling this way why

is their fasting

worthless listen to his words Behold on

the day of your fast you find your own

desire and you drive hard all your

workers and you fast for contention and

strife and strike with a wicked fist you

do not fast to make your voice Heard On

High well there you have it these These

are Lord have mercy these are the words

of the Lord about worthless fasting

let's hear them so that we can discard

them and be done with with them for our

entire lives let's promise in listening

to the word of the Lord that we will not

fast like this notice the three things

that the Lord says makes a fast

worthless keeping our desire Central in

fasting fasting for our own desire and

in fact this is a great Temptation for

us we know that the Lord is asking us to

give up the things that please us to say

no to embrace self-denial to stop eating

the delicious meats and the tasty dairy

products and desserts and all these

kinds of things right we keep that those

rules we should it's an obedience

expected by

Christ but do we replace all of those

things do we spend money and go looking

for special recipes and work very hard

so that we can still have tasty food and

almost not even know that it is the fast

if we are we are following un falling

under this critique are we fasting for

our own desire no it's better it's

better to be tough and to be content to

eat simply and not for tastiness but for

nourishment and to eat the same thing

without having to spend a lot of time

making it make a large amount and eat

the same thing morning noon and night or

over the course of several days the same

soups the same simple breads because our

focus is not to

replace our the food the delicious food

that we love to eat with more delicious

Lenton food in fact sometimes in an

attempt to do this we even spend more

money on Lenton substitutes than we did

we do on on normal food that is exactly

what fasting is not it will render

fasting worthless better not to do it

number two he says we fast sometimes his

people were fasting with with no

compassion on others when you fast and

you simplify your life often if you're a

businessman that means you're going to

be making less money you're going to be

having less product because your focus

is not on that you're giving more

attention to others more attention to

Mercy more attention to

Simplicity uh and yet the Temptation is

for these people that even though when

they were doing that even when they were

trying to fast they drove hard their

workers if I can't the idea is if I

can't make money well I won't because

I'm fasting but I'm going to make my

workers do

double this is exactly wrong stop

thinking about worldly things and about

product during the fast think about

spiritual acquisition true treasure read

The Book of Proverbs and find out what

is more precious than gold and silver

and precious gems and then a third

critique of worthless fasting is

this

on the day of your fast you find your

desire you drive hard your workers and

you fast for contention and strife and

strike with a wicked

fist anger and violence can be the fruit

of bad fasting don't we know it when we

deny ourselves and our body is used to

being spoiled we're used to getting what

we want when we want drinking when we

want to drink eating when we want to eat

sleeping with our spouses when we want

to sleep with our spouses resting when

we want to rest and we put all of that

aside and we say no no we're going to

deny those desires uh instead we are

going to pray even when we're tired and

our eyeballs hurt we're going to read

we're going to write we are going to

visit people we are going to call people

we are going to engage in radical Mercy

when we do that our bodies can and our

souls can

erupt in anger and that will render our

fast worthless we really have to watch

out for this when we're trying to fast

sincerely we have to settle ourselves in

gentleness we have to establish ourself

in calm we have to watch very carefully

that strife and contention and violence

doesn't erupt within us because because

we aren't uh medicating ourselves so to

speak with external things this is why

the fast is so fruitful is because it

exposes us and really how weak our

foundation of spiritual life really is

and that is necessary to know the truth

about ourselves and to be humble lest we

think we're something when we're nothing

and to lean on God because the Saints

are those the people who are holy are

those who have learned not to be

confident in themselves but to put their

trust in the Lord to lean on him by

faith hey guys I'm just busting into

this uh reflection that I'm giving you

on the difference between worthless and

life-changing fasting for one reason and

that is to let you know that a brand new

series has just come out called the

original Church lectures on the Acts of

the Apostles it's a series of eight

lectures that I have given recently and

I hope you've been able to see it on P&P

if not just go to patristic or nectar.

org patristic nar.org and you'll find it

there God

bless these are three ways that uh

Isaiah says fasting is worthless now he

immediately continues by explaining what

God's wish is for our fasting what kind

of fast then is lifechanging what kind

of fast is power powerful before the

face of God Isaiah continues listen to

these beautiful

words is this a f that I choose a day

for a man to Humble himself and bowing

his head like a reed and spreading out

sackcloth and Ashes as a bed will you

call this a faft and acceptable day to

the Lord is not the faft that I choose

this to loosen the bonds of wickedness

right your goal should be to learn not

to sin to learn to replace selfishness

with love to learn to replace violence

with

kindness to beat anger to love Mercy to

make the interest of others yours right

is this not the f I choose to loosen the

bonds of sin to undo the bands of the

Yoke to let the oppressed Go free and

break every Lo to bring freedom to

others to lift up the downcast to

inspire the depressed to console the

lonely to pour out to saturate our homes

and our lives with compassion and mercy

this is the kind of fa that God respects

he continues is it not to divide your

bread with the hungry right we fast so

that we have something to share we spend

less money I always

encourage my families to try to reduce

their food budget by 50% in the fast

take whatever they spend uh whatever you

normally spend cut it in half and see if

you can live on that and then you have

immediately whatever your budget is you

have half of

that budget to give away to other people

to Delight people who are hungry and

need your help is not a fast to divide

your bread with the hungry and bring the

homeless poor into the house fasting

should be a time for arms giving for

alleviating people's trouble for doing

blessings for people visiting the old

people in your parish and cleaning their

homes and taking care of their

properties and asking what you can do

for them

he

continues when you see the naked to

cover him and not to hide yourself from

your own flesh that's a beautiful word

sometimes I wish it was just sometimes

really it's it's too

often in confession we priests ask the

confesse if they have anyone that they

need to reconcile with and many times oh

too to count I've heard over the years

and

decades well father I I just can't

reconcile with my father or I can't

reconcile with my

mother as though that is uh that state

of separation is just a fact of life

that is static and will never

change just because we haven't been able

to reconcile with a family member a

father a mother grandparents and Uncle

our own flesh in the words of Isa just

because that hasn't been the case in the

past doesn't tell you anything about the

future unless you don't pray unless you

are content and falsely satisfied with

alienation in your own family and

therefore allow a hard cover on your

heart to come when in fact this is your

own flesh and blood these are folks that

you should be praying for reconciliation

with constantly and not doing here

what the Lord said hiding ourselves from

our own flesh no the fasts are great

times to reach

out without any expectations and when

you have no expectations it's impossible

to be disappointed no reach out in pure

love to bless to bestow Mercy a Act of

compassion and kindness to someone in

your family someone maybe that you're

not reconciled with now if you do these

things if we avoid the worthless fasting

and we embrace the life trans forming

fashion fasting what comes well Isaiah

is profuse in his promises I'll end my

Reflections by sharing with you

six

incredible promises that are given in

this text in Isaiah 58:

8-12 six incredible Promises of true

fasting lifechanging gifts that God will

give number one your own inner dark Ness

will flee and light will fill you on the

inside number two you have to believe me

I'll read the text after this to prove

this your own inner Darkness will flee

and light will fill your insights two

you will sense God's protection in your

life before you and behind you three God

will answer your prayers four your sense

of Gloom and discouragement will vanish

five your body will have new strength

and six you will help establish God's

Kingdom Here and Now now you be saying

you may be saying father how could that

be all through true fasting yes yes

here's the text itself verses 8-2 of

Isaiah 58 then your light shall Break

Forth as the

morning and your healing shall spring

forth quickly your righteousness shall

go before you and the glory of God shall

cover

you then you shall cry out and God will

hear you and while you are still

speaking he will say behold I am here if

you take away your Fetter and the

pointing of the

finger accusation removed in the fast

completely removed take away the

pointing of the finger and the word of

grumbling and if you give bread to the

hungry from your soul and satisfy the

humble Soul then your light shall rise

up in the darkness your Darkness shall

be as midday God shall be with you

continually and you shall be satisfied

as your soul desires your bones shall be

strengthened and

enriched wow and you shall be like a

well-watered garden and like a spring of

water that does not fail your bones will

arise and be enriched like a green plant

and they shall inherit generations of

generations your ancient desert desert

shall be built and your ancient

foundations shall be from generation to

generation and you shall be called the

Builder of walls and will rest on the

paths within them what an incredible

text and what gracious promises the Lord

asks us if we but

choose to embrace the fast as the Lord

desires put some oil on your head dear

ones and have a great fast to the glory

of God and to the change of your own

life amen patristic nectar Publications

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