Fasting

[Justin2]

That was a well-placed touche, Ephrem

[George Australia]

If we acquire the right frame of mind, and with the aid of the Holy Spirit, we can live in communion with God through all of our thoughts and actions...at every hour of the day, in whatever situation we may find ourselves.

Yes in a spiritual sense. But a monks job is the outward actions of service to God. This cannot be the case for those living the "real world"

Dear in Christ TomS,
This may be true of western 'christianity' and monasticism, but it certainly doesn't hold for Orthodox Christianity. Gerontissa Gaviellia probably said it best when she said:
'Not something you learn, but something you suffer, that is Orthodox Spirituality".
There is no sacred or profane as has already been said. The Orthodox Christian life is the sanctification of the 'ordinary' life as we know it. The sanctification of our daily lives, of our family life (since the family is also a Church), of our work life, of all aspects of our lives. This is the meaning of the Great Blessing of the Waters at Theophany- the most inaccessable place on Earth, the depths of the sea, are sanctified.
Even if it is, as you say, only 'in a spiritual sense', this must also sanctify our bodies, since our bodies must be subject to our souls- the body is not in charge in an Orthodox Christian, but it is sanctified together with the soul since man is one hypostasis, not two. We cannot 'save our souls' in profaned bodies- both body and soul must be saved together. Therefore one cannot seperate the 'spiritual' from the 'bodily'.
Keeping the fasts as individuals and as the family Church is really not that difficult, unless the family home is not a Church (ie, not all members of the family are Orthodox Christians. In her divinely inspired wisdom, the Church directs her children away from mixed marriages for this very reason. In the case of mixed families, "a man's enemies will be those in his own household" as Our Lord says- and it is made very clear by Christ, our God, that we must love Him, even more than our family.
Christ does not ask impossible things from us, but He certainly asks apparently difficult ones. Continual mindfulness of God and vigilance (nepsis) is one difficult thing Christ asks of us ("keep watch, for you do not know when the Bridegroom will also come for you"). If we accept Our Lord's invitation to "Take up your cross every day", and to "enter by the narrow gate", which He says is the only way one can follow Him and enter the Kingdom of Heaven, what should we expect? An easy time of bliss?
The experience of the Saints, including those of our own times, confirms what the Apostles say, that "We must, through much tribulation, enter the Kingdom."
There is no 'second prize', we either enter the Kingdom, or we do not.

ADDIT: By the way, an Orthodox Christian monk's job is not "outward service", but the inner, hidden life; just as it is for the Orthodox Christian layman. This Sunday, the holy period of Triodion begins. If we listen to the readings and the hymns, the Publican shows the inner, hidden life, the Phariseee shows the life of "outward service".

In Christ,
George

[Mary Kissel]

I was wondering, which week do we fast from what? I am a little confused....do we fast from everything but dairy during Cheesefare week and then when Meatfare begins is that when we start to fast from everything? or do I have it mixed up? Great Lent starts on the 23rd of this month right? Thanks!

MaryCecilia

[Matushka Anna]

This week is fast free.
Next week is normal, but you should use up all the meat in the house.
The week after, no meat, but you can have dairy and eggs and fish and caviar on Wednesday and Friday.
The next week, BANG! Lent starts.

Will try to mail you that calendar....

[Savva24]

Hello,

And how does marital relations fit into the works? Does that go with the entrance into Cheesefare or when Great Lent actually begins?

Nick

[Mary Kissel]

This week is fast free.
Next week is normal, but you should use up all the meat in the house.
The week after, no meat, but you can have dairy and eggs and fish and caviar on Wednesday and Friday.
The next week, BANG! Lent starts.

Will try to mail you that calendar....

thankyou Matushka, hope it'll be soon So does that mean that the week after next week is meatfare or cheesefare? Sorry if I seem to always ask the same questions I just get confused easily lately

MaryCecilia

[Savva24]

Dear all in Christ,

Was my question not important? not appropriate? Or do people just not know? I am sure one of the priests on this board must know the answer.
Please let us know if you have the time.

Nicholas