The Shepherd, March 2005
FASTING AS PRACTISED IN THE ORTHODOX CHURCH, 2
Nevertheless, while fasting physically, says the Church, we must not forget the fasting which is spiritual, for the outward fast without inner
Emphasising the indispensability of preserving inner self-denial in fasting, St. Dorotheus says: not only must one observe measure in food, but also abstinence from every other sin, in order that as we fast from food for the stomach, we also fast with the tongue, refraining from abuse, lying, idle chatter, anger, in a word, from every sin committed by the tongue. He further says: we must also fast with our eyes, that is, we must not look upon vain things, we must not give the eyes freedom to look upon anyone without shame and fear. Also the hands and feet must be checked from every evil deed. In other words, inner fasting must consist in intensified and active denial and temperance as regards all causes leading to excitement of the passions of the soul: it consists in protecting our sensory organs: sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch, - all channels, as it were, through which sin strives to enter our mind and heart; it consists in evading all that tempts and breaks up the inner harmony of the soul, and could draw it into the depths of downfall and the darkness of sin.
Such inner fasting is much more difficult and important than the outer one. Although each of them supplements the other, both aim at the same goal: to avoid sin and attain salvation; but the former is without doubt higher and more difficult, because it carries on a battle with both thoughts and flesh, whereas the second only helps and cooperates in the struggle by weakening one of the adversaries, the flesh.
If our inner fortress cannot hold out, then neither will the outer. Just as the seed of sin, through a desire for looking (Gen. 3:6), penetrated into the soul of the first man and, having met no inner resistance, found favourable ground, germinated, grew, and gave birth to sin, and thereafter to death (Gen. 2:17; Ex: 32:33; James 1:15; Rom. 6:23; Rev. 21:8), so in like manner is accomplished the downfall of everyone of us, the descendents of Adam (Rom. 5:12). Sin coming from the outside, through influencing any of our senses, unless it meets with due resistance from the inward man (Rom. 7:22-23; 2 Cor. 4:16) enters into him, breaks down and destroys him, and takes tricky power over our bodily temple (1 Cor. 6:19; 2 Peter 1:13-14), casting the man entirely into the depths of downfall, and thereafter into eternal condemnation (Luke 13:27-28; 1 Cor. 6.10; Matt. 25:41; 25:46).
The process of this unseen warfare was described for us by the holy fathers as having certain continuity of form. It begins with temptation, of which the world around us is so full. If we do not pass it by, then it penetrates our consciousness, in which there immediately arises the picture of the thought and object; prilog [beguilement] appears. Sinful manifestations and ideas penetrate the soul through the outward and inner senses, or through imagination unintended and against our will, and therefore such a condition is not considered sinful by the holy fathers, not yet deserving condemnation because there is no cooperation of the will to permit its penetration. It is impossible, says St. Nilus Sorsky, that there shall be no attack on us by the guiles of the enemy, once the devil with his demons has gained access to man who, thanks to his disobedience, was driven out from Paradise and from God. Nevertheless, here already is proximity to sin, and the necessity arises for immediate battle in order to drive the object which has arisen in the mind out of our consciousness. Otherwise, a process of reflecting on it starts up in the conscious mind. A condition of cooperation appears - conversation, as it were, with the thought which has arrived, followed by acceptance of the idea coming from the enemy, grasping it, approval and agreement with it, and voluntary permission for its dwelling in us. Such a condition already has within itself the seed of sin, which could still be driven away by opposing the ideas, which have arisen, with thoughts of good and the fear of God (Ps. 15:8).
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