1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:03,120 In the name of the glorious Trinity, Father and Son and Holy 2 00:00:03,120 --> 00:00:06,200 Spirit, forever Amen. Glory be to the. 3 00:00:06,200 --> 00:00:09,720 Everlasting mercies which? Sent you to us, O Christ, the 4 00:00:09,720 --> 00:00:11,880 light of the world and the life of all. 5 00:00:12,760 --> 00:00:15,040 Give us wisdom. By your law and enlighten our 6 00:00:15,040 --> 00:00:18,240 impulses. By Your knowledge sanctify our 7 00:00:18,240 --> 00:00:21,360 souls by your truth, and grant that we may be obedient to your 8 00:00:21,360 --> 00:00:24,760 words and may fulfil your commandments at every hour. 9 00:00:25,680 --> 00:00:28,920 O you who enlightens the rational with the knowledge of 10 00:00:28,920 --> 00:00:33,680 Your greatness, do enlight, O my Lord, our thoughts, that we may 11 00:00:33,680 --> 00:00:37,080 meditate upon your holy and divine scriptures at all times, 12 00:00:37,080 --> 00:00:40,720 O Lord of all, Father and Son and Holy Spirit. 13 00:00:40,720 --> 00:01:07,440 Forever Amen. It's now one week since our 14 00:01:07,520 --> 00:01:11,520 entrance or commencement of our fast or entrance in the Great 15 00:01:11,520 --> 00:01:14,320 Fast. And I'm so encouraged to see and 16 00:01:14,320 --> 00:01:20,040 read various posts on different social media platforms, ranging 17 00:01:20,040 --> 00:01:23,120 from verses from the Holy Scriptures, quotes from the 18 00:01:23,120 --> 00:01:27,000 Church Fathers, personal advices and experiences, and all 19 00:01:27,000 --> 00:01:31,320 pertaining to fasting and in particular, giving up, 20 00:01:31,360 --> 00:01:35,120 refraining from whatever it is during Lent. 21 00:01:36,000 --> 00:01:39,840 But two very important points, beloved #1 is that it's not a 22 00:01:39,960 --> 00:01:46,480 mere refraining from or giving up, but rather repenting, 23 00:01:47,320 --> 00:01:53,840 seizing, doing away, cutting off, and not so much food alone. 24 00:01:54,560 --> 00:01:57,640 And the second point is that it's not only during the period 25 00:01:57,640 --> 00:02:03,280 of Lent that we need to repent or give up, but continually, 26 00:02:03,760 --> 00:02:08,800 indefinitely, constantly, daily. Why? 27 00:02:10,320 --> 00:02:15,360 Well, if we're during this time of Lent, we are to cancel out 28 00:02:15,400 --> 00:02:22,040 all distractions, desires, our desires, our habits, and to be 29 00:02:22,240 --> 00:02:27,680 attentive to the Word or the voice of God, which means to be 30 00:02:27,880 --> 00:02:31,080 obedient, not only listen, but to be obedient to the Word of 31 00:02:31,080 --> 00:02:33,880 God. Then the word of God is not for 32 00:02:33,880 --> 00:02:39,080 a certain period of time only. That is not only for 40 days of 33 00:02:39,080 --> 00:02:44,600 the 365 days of the year, not only the seven weeks of the 52 34 00:02:44,600 --> 00:02:48,600 weeks of the year. It's like when we are at church, 35 00:02:48,880 --> 00:02:52,600 we're such good people at church, we become emotionally 36 00:02:52,600 --> 00:02:55,680 spirit move. We're at church some, some 37 00:02:55,680 --> 00:03:02,320 continue, continue to disrespect the sanctified sanctuary by 38 00:03:02,320 --> 00:03:06,360 being on their phones, on their social medias and the phone 39 00:03:06,360 --> 00:03:09,520 rings and they're texting one another or they're talking 40 00:03:09,520 --> 00:03:14,240 constantly disrupting another person's spiritual mood or 41 00:03:14,240 --> 00:03:19,160 spiritual focus, right? But most people are very good at 42 00:03:19,160 --> 00:03:21,600 church. But once we leave church, all, 43 00:03:21,600 --> 00:03:28,240 literally all hell breaks loose. So when we're at church and we 44 00:03:28,240 --> 00:03:31,640 are good people at church, it doesn't mean that as soon as we 45 00:03:31,640 --> 00:03:35,280 leave the church, then we go back to our old rigmaroles. 46 00:03:35,280 --> 00:03:38,680 No, we need to continue to live the church life. 47 00:03:38,680 --> 00:03:41,440 And we spoke about the church and what we miss out when we 48 00:03:41,440 --> 00:03:44,880 don't attend church. So too, the Word of God is not 49 00:03:44,880 --> 00:03:46,880 temporal. Beloved, let's look at some 50 00:03:46,880 --> 00:03:50,480 scriptures. Isaiah chapter 40, verse 8, the 51 00:03:50,480 --> 00:03:55,240 grass dries up and the flower fades, and the Word of God 52 00:03:55,240 --> 00:04:00,600 stands for eternities, not only for a certain period of time, 53 00:04:00,840 --> 00:04:03,240 not only when you're sick, you're not only when you're 54 00:04:03,240 --> 00:04:07,720 happy, not only when you're warm mourning, but every day of our 55 00:04:07,720 --> 00:04:11,960 lives and I live. Isaiah chapter 55, verse 11. 56 00:04:12,240 --> 00:04:16,560 Thus my word shall be that proceeds from my mouth, and it 57 00:04:16,560 --> 00:04:21,760 shall not return to me empty handed, But surely it does the 58 00:04:21,760 --> 00:04:26,200 thing that I please and accomplishes that for which I 59 00:04:26,320 --> 00:04:29,760 have centered not only at one period of time, but 60 00:04:29,760 --> 00:04:33,000 continuously. It's alive, beloved Matthew 61 00:04:33,000 --> 00:04:37,480 chapter 22, verse 35, Jesus says heaven and earth will pass away. 62 00:04:37,680 --> 00:04:42,280 Now, now let's go back Isaiah, Isaiah 55 and Isaiah 40. 63 00:04:42,280 --> 00:04:44,320 This is God speaking. Look at what Jesus says. 64 00:04:44,840 --> 00:04:49,920 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words, My words will not 65 00:04:49,920 --> 00:04:52,840 pass away because He is God, praise and glory be to His name. 66 00:04:53,040 --> 00:04:57,640 He's not claiming what the Father has unrighteously. 67 00:04:57,800 --> 00:05:01,480 No, no, He is God and He can claim it rightly. 68 00:05:02,720 --> 00:05:05,880 So when we are instructed to fast in the Holy Scriptures, 69 00:05:05,880 --> 00:05:08,800 that is Matthew chapter 6, verse 16. 70 00:05:09,560 --> 00:05:13,440 When you fast for those who are trying to convince you that you 71 00:05:13,440 --> 00:05:16,880 don't need to fast because they don't want to fast, they don't 72 00:05:16,880 --> 00:05:19,800 want to humble themselves. They don't want to ruffle the 73 00:05:19,800 --> 00:05:24,360 feathers of the, the, the physical and, and, and you know, 74 00:05:24,360 --> 00:05:27,160 the fleshly desires. No, no, no, Jesus said when you 75 00:05:27,160 --> 00:05:30,720 fast, there is going to come a time that you need to fast. 76 00:05:30,760 --> 00:05:33,880 But when you fast according to scriptures and we're being 77 00:05:33,880 --> 00:05:38,520 obedient now, right When you fast and the matter of fasting, 78 00:05:38,520 --> 00:05:43,440 Jesus continues to say, do not look sad like the hypocrites, 79 00:05:43,440 --> 00:05:47,680 for they disfigure their faces so that it may appear to men 80 00:05:47,800 --> 00:05:51,400 that they are fasting. Truly, I say to you that they 81 00:05:51,400 --> 00:05:53,960 have already received their reward. 82 00:05:54,160 --> 00:05:59,480 The manner but rather continues verses 17 and 18. 83 00:05:59,680 --> 00:06:03,640 But As for you, when you fast, wash your face and anoint your 84 00:06:03,640 --> 00:06:07,720 head so that it may not appear to men that you are fasting, but 85 00:06:07,720 --> 00:06:11,800 your Father who is in secret and your Father who sees in secret 86 00:06:11,920 --> 00:06:14,200 will reward you may be saying well, there you go. 87 00:06:14,320 --> 00:06:16,920 But it's exactly this pertains to this period. 88 00:06:16,920 --> 00:06:20,360 Now this period we're fasting and Jesus giving us 89 00:06:20,360 --> 00:06:24,800 instructions. Let's go on before we expand on 90 00:06:24,800 --> 00:06:28,920 this the the conduct of our fasting, the conduct and the 91 00:06:28,920 --> 00:06:32,600 deeds during our fasting in Isaiah chapter 58, verse 5 and 92 00:06:32,600 --> 00:06:35,160 6. To loosen the bands of 93 00:06:35,160 --> 00:06:38,760 wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the 94 00:06:38,760 --> 00:06:43,000 oppressed go free. And that ye break every yoke to 95 00:06:43,000 --> 00:06:48,920 deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor 96 00:06:48,920 --> 00:06:53,880 that are cast out to thy house, when thou seize the naked, that 97 00:06:53,880 --> 00:06:59,240 thou cover him, and that thou hide not thyself from thine own 98 00:06:59,520 --> 00:07:02,440 flesh. Now we're going into is this 99 00:07:02,440 --> 00:07:09,120 only for when we are fasting? So your charitable deeds only 100 00:07:09,280 --> 00:07:14,960 are accepted and are valid and are required and demanded by 101 00:07:14,960 --> 00:07:19,480 God, commanded by God only during a period of fasting, only 102 00:07:19,480 --> 00:07:25,680 seven weeks of the 52 weeks of the year, only 40 days of the 103 00:07:25,680 --> 00:07:31,200 365 days of the yes, we do fast 40 days, by the way, we're not 104 00:07:31,200 --> 00:07:34,960 going to go into that. Maybe another episode, the 105 00:07:35,000 --> 00:07:38,000 Epistle for the Sunday, Entering the Great Fast. 106 00:07:38,000 --> 00:07:43,920 By the way, were you at church when you commence your fast, 107 00:07:44,000 --> 00:07:47,680 when you enter the period of the fast, it's encouraging in one 108 00:07:47,680 --> 00:07:51,920 way, discouraging in many way that you see that on the 1st 109 00:07:51,920 --> 00:07:55,280 Sunday of the beginning of Fast Lent there are more people at 110 00:07:55,280 --> 00:07:57,520 church. That's encouraging because you 111 00:07:57,520 --> 00:08:00,600 know that these people, you most probably are going to commence 112 00:08:00,600 --> 00:08:04,360 fast, but it's discouraging that coming to church is not only for 113 00:08:04,360 --> 00:08:07,600 fasting and celebrating the resurrection or the birth of 114 00:08:07,600 --> 00:08:10,880 Jesus Christ or holding branches of olive branches and saying 115 00:08:10,880 --> 00:08:15,680 hosanna, no, every week there is church there. 116 00:08:15,680 --> 00:08:18,840 There are more services during the week on special occasions, 117 00:08:18,960 --> 00:08:20,760 but every Sunday there is church. 118 00:08:20,760 --> 00:08:26,240 Not only just coming to church for that specific function or 119 00:08:26,240 --> 00:08:30,200 that specific event. So were you at church when you 120 00:08:30,440 --> 00:08:36,240 kicked off your fast anyway? If you weren't, God bless you 121 00:08:36,240 --> 00:08:38,200 and your your fasting. I pray that the Lord will hear 122 00:08:38,200 --> 00:08:41,640 your supplications and accept and be appeased with your 123 00:08:41,640 --> 00:08:45,120 fasting. But if you read the epistle 124 00:08:45,120 --> 00:08:49,240 reading that was presented on that Sunday, Ephesians chapter 125 00:08:49,240 --> 00:08:58,560 4, verses 25 to 32, then chapter 5, verses 3:00 to 5:00, and then 126 00:08:58,560 --> 00:09:04,160 chapter 5, verses 15 to 21, Let me summarize some significant 127 00:09:04,160 --> 00:09:06,880 instructions. And isn't it beautiful how the 128 00:09:06,880 --> 00:09:10,520 Church Fathers and the, and the orders of the church, the 129 00:09:10,520 --> 00:09:14,200 liturgy of the Church, the ecclesiastical calendar of the 130 00:09:14,200 --> 00:09:17,720 Church, that during the entrance of the feast of the, of the 131 00:09:17,720 --> 00:09:21,920 great fast, the epistle reading is from Ephesians and there's 132 00:09:21,920 --> 00:09:24,280 some instructions there. We're going to talk about that. 133 00:09:25,560 --> 00:09:30,360 Paul says to put aside lying. Yeah. 134 00:09:30,360 --> 00:09:33,840 Robbie, you know, during fast, I'm trying my best to, you know, 135 00:09:33,840 --> 00:09:36,760 not to say any fibs. I'm trying my best not to lie 136 00:09:37,040 --> 00:09:38,720 and speak the truth. God bless you. 137 00:09:39,840 --> 00:09:44,280 Be angry, but do not sing and do not let the sunset on your 138 00:09:44,320 --> 00:09:47,040 anger. You know, I'm sort of taming 139 00:09:47,040 --> 00:09:49,560 myself now. I'm still, you know, dropping 140 00:09:49,560 --> 00:09:52,120 the ball. I still, you know, fall and 141 00:09:52,120 --> 00:09:56,840 stumble, but I'm trying. God bless you do not give place 142 00:09:56,840 --> 00:09:59,440 to the slanderous. You know, I'm I'm away from 143 00:09:59,440 --> 00:10:01,120 those who are constantly mocking. 144 00:10:01,320 --> 00:10:03,400 I'm not joking much. I'm more serious. 145 00:10:03,400 --> 00:10:05,240 I'm humble and that's how we should be. 146 00:10:05,240 --> 00:10:10,360 By the way, beloved, you can't fast and be in a, a hookah 147 00:10:10,360 --> 00:10:14,120 lounge or, or in a, in a restaurant drinking and there's 148 00:10:14,120 --> 00:10:17,800 social events, activities going out and you're still enjoying 149 00:10:17,800 --> 00:10:20,240 your social, you know, so your social life. 150 00:10:20,240 --> 00:10:25,280 That's not fasting. It's a period of contrite spirit 151 00:10:25,280 --> 00:10:29,280 humbling yourself. It's a period of entering your 152 00:10:29,280 --> 00:10:32,280 wilderness. Just at Jesus Christ did enter 153 00:10:32,280 --> 00:10:34,600 the wilderness, a place of barren. 154 00:10:34,720 --> 00:10:37,480 There is no joy. There is no socializing. 155 00:10:37,480 --> 00:10:41,280 There is no alcohol. There is no such element that 156 00:10:41,280 --> 00:10:46,600 will fulfill my desires. No, that's how we are fasting. 157 00:10:46,600 --> 00:10:48,800 We have entered that barren land. 158 00:10:50,440 --> 00:10:54,640 Paul goes on to say do not steal, find a job, get a job, 159 00:10:54,880 --> 00:11:00,760 earn so that you can help the needy, those who are constantly 160 00:11:00,760 --> 00:11:04,760 making a living through distortion and and and 161 00:11:04,920 --> 00:11:07,880 deceptions. Well, Saint Paul says no, no, 162 00:11:07,880 --> 00:11:12,160 you need to cut that out. So if you're into that and 163 00:11:12,160 --> 00:11:15,440 you're fasting, but you're still defrauding people, well, the 164 00:11:15,440 --> 00:11:19,120 fast is not pleasing to God. It's only a diet. 165 00:11:20,560 --> 00:11:24,840 Do not utter hateful words so that you do not grieve. 166 00:11:24,840 --> 00:11:29,280 Disappoint the Holy Spirit. Now this was the reading on the 167 00:11:29,280 --> 00:11:33,200 Sunday entering the Great fast. Yes, I'm trying to do that. 168 00:11:33,200 --> 00:11:35,640 You know, I'm, I'm trying my best to do that. 169 00:11:37,320 --> 00:11:41,960 Expel the bitterness, the fury, the rage, the clamor, the 170 00:11:41,960 --> 00:11:44,000 insults, the wickedness from you. 171 00:11:44,200 --> 00:11:46,680 Expel them. I'm trying my best. 172 00:11:46,960 --> 00:11:50,160 This is what I'm doing. I know it's not the food factor 173 00:11:50,160 --> 00:11:54,280 that is so much important, but what we, how we conduct, conduct 174 00:11:54,280 --> 00:11:55,280 ourselves. Great. 175 00:11:56,200 --> 00:12:00,440 A lot more than Impossible burgers, isn't it? 176 00:12:01,520 --> 00:12:05,080 What Saint Paul is saying? It's a lot more than Impossible 177 00:12:05,080 --> 00:12:11,560 or Boca burgers a lot more than than Bachan and and Murtanos and 178 00:12:11,560 --> 00:12:16,120 and you know Marsha because some people hop on the element of the 179 00:12:16,120 --> 00:12:19,360 food. But go back and read these 180 00:12:19,360 --> 00:12:21,920 verses, Ephesians chapter 4 and five. 181 00:12:22,680 --> 00:12:26,480 He continues be sweet, be affectionate, forgiving one 182 00:12:26,480 --> 00:12:29,760 another, just as God has forgiven us in Jesus Christ. 183 00:12:29,960 --> 00:12:37,000 Be imitators of God and walk in love fornication, sex before 184 00:12:37,000 --> 00:12:41,160 marriage. I don't care, it's love. 185 00:12:41,160 --> 00:12:44,640 No, that's not the love that God is pleased with. 186 00:12:46,280 --> 00:12:52,400 When it comes to intimacy, God is only pleased with the bridal 187 00:12:52,400 --> 00:12:57,280 chamber or the bed or the mattress of a husband and wife 188 00:12:57,600 --> 00:13:04,720 who have been joined together in holy matrimony in the Church by 189 00:13:04,720 --> 00:13:09,480 the priest. Regardless of what the world 190 00:13:09,480 --> 00:13:14,680 teaches now and how people perceive love fornication, all 191 00:13:14,680 --> 00:13:20,040 impurity and greed are not even to be named at all among you 192 00:13:20,560 --> 00:13:23,520 fornication. Don't tell me I love this 193 00:13:23,520 --> 00:13:25,640 person. I want to share my love with 194 00:13:25,640 --> 00:13:28,040 this person. If you're fasting and you're 195 00:13:28,040 --> 00:13:34,000 still sharing your mattress with a partner, that is fornication 196 00:13:35,960 --> 00:13:40,440 as it is appropriate for Saints. Do away with abusive language, 197 00:13:40,440 --> 00:13:44,840 worthless words of disgrace, nonsense and unnecessary. 198 00:13:44,960 --> 00:13:49,600 But in place of these Thanksgiving, you know that no 199 00:13:49,600 --> 00:13:55,840 fornicators, impure or greedy persons, who is an idol 200 00:13:55,840 --> 00:14:01,920 worshipper, has any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and of 201 00:14:01,920 --> 00:14:04,840 God. These are from the Scriptures. 202 00:14:05,080 --> 00:14:06,720 These are from the Scriptures, beloved. 203 00:14:07,320 --> 00:14:10,840 So yes, during fast I abstain from that. 204 00:14:11,040 --> 00:14:14,760 But as soon as fast is over, well, is all hell going to 205 00:14:14,760 --> 00:14:19,880 broke, break loose Now, just because these Scriptures, the 206 00:14:19,880 --> 00:14:23,440 epistle was read on the first day of entering the great fast. 207 00:14:23,640 --> 00:14:27,920 It does not limited to just those seven weeks and those 40 208 00:14:27,920 --> 00:14:33,120 days, beloved. No, it is continuous and it's 209 00:14:33,120 --> 00:14:40,080 not a mere giving up refraining, it's repenting, seizing, doing 210 00:14:40,080 --> 00:14:46,320 away with what we are fasting now, doing away of what has 211 00:14:46,320 --> 00:14:51,280 brought us down to a stooped us to such a low level that we 212 00:14:51,280 --> 00:14:54,880 cannot even lift up our face to the Lord and say Lord have mercy 213 00:14:54,880 --> 00:14:59,120 upon us, but we bow our heads and ask God to forgive us. 214 00:15:00,800 --> 00:15:03,520 So what are you giving up during this Lent? 215 00:15:05,760 --> 00:15:10,360 First and foremost that should be all dairy and poultry and 216 00:15:10,360 --> 00:15:14,720 meat products. Why people ask why food? 217 00:15:15,480 --> 00:15:21,840 Well when you read those who offered their fast, the 218 00:15:21,840 --> 00:15:25,960 prophets, Jesus himself, he didn't eat anything. 219 00:15:28,040 --> 00:15:32,920 They offered a fast of what was from the land. 220 00:15:34,400 --> 00:15:37,000 Adam when Adam was created, beloved. 221 00:15:37,280 --> 00:15:40,880 When Adam was fashioned, he was a herbivore. 222 00:15:41,320 --> 00:15:44,320 He wasn't a carnival. Some animals are known to be 223 00:15:44,320 --> 00:15:48,240 both herbivore and carnival. They can they can survive in 224 00:15:48,240 --> 00:15:54,440 both characteristics. Lack of a better term, Adam was 225 00:15:54,440 --> 00:15:58,560 a herbivore. When did he become a carnival Is 226 00:15:58,560 --> 00:16:04,720 when sin entered, listen, when sin listen, When sin entered the 227 00:16:04,720 --> 00:16:09,880 world and through sin death entered, that's when animals 228 00:16:09,880 --> 00:16:12,160 were to be slaughtered and to be consumed. 229 00:16:12,880 --> 00:16:17,200 So when we abstain from dairy, poultry and meat products, the 230 00:16:17,200 --> 00:16:20,880 Church is teaching us, the Fathers are teaching us, God is 231 00:16:20,880 --> 00:16:26,880 teaching us, reminding us that you were at one time sinless, 232 00:16:28,000 --> 00:16:31,400 but you dropped the ball because you disobeyed me. 233 00:16:31,880 --> 00:16:37,720 You disobeyed me. So during this time, not only 234 00:16:37,720 --> 00:16:41,880 the meat products obviously, but most importantly, we have to 235 00:16:42,440 --> 00:16:49,320 give away, repent, seize our disgraceful and putrid deeds, 236 00:16:49,320 --> 00:16:54,320 beloved, and again, not merely give them up for a period of 237 00:16:54,320 --> 00:16:58,400 time, but repent from them, cast them away, put them away, get 238 00:16:58,400 --> 00:17:03,400 rid of them, not only during Lent, but every day of our life. 239 00:17:03,400 --> 00:17:06,359 Saint John Chrysostom writes on fasting. 240 00:17:06,720 --> 00:17:11,880 Are you fasting? So this is a question of one of 241 00:17:11,880 --> 00:17:15,359 the Church Fathers to all of us. Are you fasting? 242 00:17:16,400 --> 00:17:19,319 Yes. Show me your fast with your 243 00:17:19,319 --> 00:17:23,160 works. This is what James says in James 244 00:17:23,160 --> 00:17:28,319 chapter 2 verse 18 when he talks about faith and deeds and works. 245 00:17:28,920 --> 00:17:32,240 Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show me about 246 00:17:32,240 --> 00:17:35,320 you my faith with deeds. Show me your works. 247 00:17:35,880 --> 00:17:40,760 And if we ask which works? And he continues, If you see 248 00:17:40,760 --> 00:17:43,680 someone who is poor, show him the mercy. 249 00:17:44,800 --> 00:17:47,760 If you see any enemy, reconcile with him. 250 00:17:49,400 --> 00:17:52,400 If you see a friend who is becoming, let, let me go back, 251 00:17:52,400 --> 00:17:55,760 let me go back. If you see an enemy, reconcile 252 00:17:55,760 --> 00:17:57,040 with him. Are you fasting? 253 00:17:58,240 --> 00:18:01,360 Do you have enemies? Do you have people that you have 254 00:18:01,360 --> 00:18:04,680 a beef with? You have people that have some 255 00:18:04,680 --> 00:18:08,200 sort of an issue with? You need to reconcile with these 256 00:18:08,200 --> 00:18:10,880 people, beloved, and Christ has given us the procedure. 257 00:18:12,040 --> 00:18:13,520 Let's go back and read the gospel. 258 00:18:13,520 --> 00:18:15,680 And I'm not just going to give you the chapter and the verses. 259 00:18:15,920 --> 00:18:18,120 Read the entire Gospel of Matthew. 260 00:18:19,000 --> 00:18:21,120 If you see an enemy, reconcile with him. 261 00:18:21,760 --> 00:18:25,040 If you see a friend who is becoming successful, do not be 262 00:18:25,040 --> 00:18:28,040 jealous of him. If you see a beautiful woman on 263 00:18:28,040 --> 00:18:33,040 the street, pass her by. No wolf whistles and lust and 264 00:18:33,040 --> 00:18:35,560 lust in your mind because that is fornication. 265 00:18:35,560 --> 00:18:41,280 Jesus said, go away, steer away. In other words, not only should 266 00:18:41,280 --> 00:18:45,000 the mouth he continues, not only should the mouth fast, but the 267 00:18:45,000 --> 00:18:52,520 eyes and the legs and the arms and all other parts of the body. 268 00:18:52,640 --> 00:18:57,160 Listen to me, gentlemen and ladies, all the parts of the 269 00:18:57,160 --> 00:19:02,920 body should be fasting that have defiled us, he continues. 270 00:19:03,080 --> 00:19:06,960 Let the hands fast, remaining clean from stealing and 271 00:19:06,960 --> 00:19:09,520 greediness and sexual immorality. 272 00:19:10,520 --> 00:19:14,240 Let the legs fast, avoiding roads which lead to sinful 273 00:19:14,240 --> 00:19:17,640 sites. If you're going to go to a 274 00:19:17,640 --> 00:19:21,840 certain place, a certain avenue, a certain event, a certain 275 00:19:21,840 --> 00:19:26,000 venue, and you know that there are sinful sites during this 276 00:19:26,000 --> 00:19:28,800 time, fast. Avoid, repent. 277 00:19:29,840 --> 00:19:34,080 Let the eyes fast by not fixing themselves on beautiful faces 278 00:19:34,080 --> 00:19:39,680 and by not observing the beauty of others, even if, even if they 279 00:19:39,680 --> 00:19:44,680 are, they are being advertised. No, you avoid it. 280 00:19:44,880 --> 00:19:48,560 And those who advertise their beauty, those who want to want 281 00:19:48,560 --> 00:19:51,680 to show their beauty and their glamour and their figure and 282 00:19:51,680 --> 00:19:54,040 their and their and their and their beauty. 283 00:19:54,240 --> 00:19:56,120 You need to repent from that as well. 284 00:19:57,720 --> 00:19:59,760 You are not eating meat. He continues. 285 00:19:59,760 --> 00:20:02,200 Are you? Well, you should not eat the 286 00:20:02,200 --> 00:20:04,640 bawtry wickedness with your eyes as well. 287 00:20:04,840 --> 00:20:09,240 Let your hearing also fast. The fast of hearing is not to 288 00:20:09,240 --> 00:20:15,760 accept bad talk against others and slay defamation and songs of 289 00:20:15,920 --> 00:20:19,520 cussing during fast. You don't do that. 290 00:20:19,640 --> 00:20:24,640 You can't be fasting and hearing a song that every 3rd word is AF 291 00:20:24,640 --> 00:20:26,440 bomb. You can't. 292 00:20:27,320 --> 00:20:30,880 That's not fasting, beloved, that's still fulfilling the 293 00:20:30,880 --> 00:20:33,080 desires of the flesh. And you want to hear all these 294 00:20:33,080 --> 00:20:36,160 songs and this music? Let the mouth fast from 295 00:20:36,160 --> 00:20:40,280 disgraceful and abusive words. Because what gain is there when 296 00:20:40,520 --> 00:20:44,480 on the one hand we avoid avoid eating chicken and fish, That's 297 00:20:44,480 --> 00:20:46,080 what he writes, chicken and fish. 298 00:20:46,280 --> 00:20:51,800 And on the other, we chew up the and consume our brothers gossip 299 00:20:53,120 --> 00:20:58,640 away from gossip, give up gossip and return repent from gossip. 300 00:20:59,280 --> 00:21:03,920 Beloved, during this period of fasting, if you haven't noticed 301 00:21:03,920 --> 00:21:07,400 yet, will be prepared. And this is a this is a warning 302 00:21:07,400 --> 00:21:13,640 and this is a wake up call. You have entered the battle of 303 00:21:13,720 --> 00:21:17,360 food, and not only food gluttony. 304 00:21:18,960 --> 00:21:24,240 You have entered a battle of testing God now how gluttony, 305 00:21:24,240 --> 00:21:26,760 how food. You know, we're constantly, as I 306 00:21:26,760 --> 00:21:31,120 said, we're constantly, you know, so mindful of what goes in 307 00:21:31,120 --> 00:21:34,600 our mouths and be careful, you know, there's a speck or there's 308 00:21:34,600 --> 00:21:38,760 a a speck of powder of milk in product in this because you read 309 00:21:38,760 --> 00:21:40,440 the ingredients and we're so into it. 310 00:21:40,440 --> 00:21:43,480 And then and then we're constantly I'm hungry. 311 00:21:43,480 --> 00:21:45,160 I just need to eat. I just need to eat. 312 00:21:45,160 --> 00:21:46,960 Don't worry about food too much, beloved. 313 00:21:47,000 --> 00:21:51,040 Our forefathers used to eat 50 dinners, 50 meals and for 314 00:21:51,040 --> 00:21:54,960 supper. We've entered a period of a 315 00:21:54,960 --> 00:21:59,640 battle of the food. We're missing our daily food. 316 00:22:00,440 --> 00:22:03,200 We have entered a battle of testing. 317 00:22:03,320 --> 00:22:07,760 Don't test God. God, if you give me this and I 318 00:22:07,760 --> 00:22:10,200 my fasting is so that you can give me this. 319 00:22:10,200 --> 00:22:15,600 No, no, no, no, God Father, I fast because I am not worthy, I 320 00:22:15,600 --> 00:22:18,960 have sinned. Forgive me Lord Jesus Christ, 321 00:22:18,960 --> 00:22:21,840 Son of God, forgive me for I have sinned. 322 00:22:21,920 --> 00:22:25,560 I am a Sinner, period. I don't need anything from God, 323 00:22:25,600 --> 00:22:30,880 only Lord to have mercy on me. And we have entered the battle 324 00:22:30,880 --> 00:22:34,000 of glory and the wonders of this world. 325 00:22:34,920 --> 00:22:38,080 Each time you turn on the television, there it is. 326 00:22:38,280 --> 00:22:41,880 When you go on your Instagram and your social media, there it 327 00:22:41,880 --> 00:22:44,240 is. It's constantly before you. 328 00:22:44,480 --> 00:22:49,240 All the sexual immorality, all the trickery, all the 329 00:22:49,240 --> 00:22:54,320 enticements are always there. And Satan will intensify these 330 00:22:54,320 --> 00:22:56,360 attacks on you. But what do you do? 331 00:22:56,520 --> 00:23:00,640 You repent from them. When you click on that that 332 00:23:02,520 --> 00:23:08,520 enter button, when you click on that enter to enter that site. 333 00:23:08,720 --> 00:23:12,240 Don't do that. Don't when you want to get on 334 00:23:12,240 --> 00:23:17,600 your phone and let me see what's happening on TikTok 90% is foul 335 00:23:17,720 --> 00:23:21,240 foul. Don't do that for go away. 336 00:23:21,240 --> 00:23:25,440 Steer away from that in particular during this time of 337 00:23:25,440 --> 00:23:31,920 Lent, however, however, it does not give us the right to go back 338 00:23:32,160 --> 00:23:35,520 like a dog that returns to his vomit. 339 00:23:36,840 --> 00:23:40,000 You abstain from immorality. God bless you. 340 00:23:40,200 --> 00:23:42,800 You've abstained from fornication. 341 00:23:42,800 --> 00:23:45,320 If not, don't fast. Don't fast. 342 00:23:45,600 --> 00:23:48,960 I recommend you visit in and out and McDonald's and what have 343 00:23:48,960 --> 00:23:51,160 you. If you're in fornication and, 344 00:23:51,360 --> 00:23:55,960 and debauchery and and gossip and hatred and you have no 345 00:23:55,960 --> 00:24:01,720 compassion of those that are poor, your fast is, is useless. 346 00:24:01,720 --> 00:24:06,680 I will say that. But when you are fasting and you 347 00:24:06,680 --> 00:24:11,000 have ceased from this and you're repenting, it does not mean then 348 00:24:11,040 --> 00:24:15,760 after the fast is finished, the period of fast, you go back and 349 00:24:15,760 --> 00:24:19,040 you've missed it so much and you intensified threefold. 350 00:24:19,360 --> 00:24:23,360 It's still a sin. It is still abhorred by God. 351 00:24:23,360 --> 00:24:28,680 Beloved, during this time as you are offering your fast and 352 00:24:28,680 --> 00:24:32,720 you're taming the body, you are taking full control of your 353 00:24:32,720 --> 00:24:37,280 flesh and the desires of your flesh, and you're continuing in 354 00:24:37,280 --> 00:24:42,920 prayer and reading the Holy Scriptures and reading the lives 355 00:24:42,920 --> 00:24:47,240 of the holy Saints of our Lord, and you're attending church. 356 00:24:47,400 --> 00:24:51,760 You're partaking in the all sanctifying body and blood. 357 00:24:52,000 --> 00:24:55,360 If it's just mere bread and wine, well, those in one 358 00:24:55,360 --> 00:25:00,120 Corinthians who were not worthy to partake of this bread, this 359 00:25:00,240 --> 00:25:03,720 normal bread, why were they falling asleep? 360 00:25:03,920 --> 00:25:06,400 What was in this bread? It is the body of Christ, 361 00:25:06,400 --> 00:25:12,600 beloved, you shall eat the bread I give you, you shall eat my 362 00:25:12,600 --> 00:25:16,680 body, you shall drink my blood, the bread I give you, the body 363 00:25:16,680 --> 00:25:19,200 that you will have to partake in. 364 00:25:19,200 --> 00:25:22,480 He who does not eat the body of the Son of man and does not 365 00:25:22,480 --> 00:25:24,080 drink his blood has no life in him. 366 00:25:24,240 --> 00:25:26,840 Jesus took bread and said, this is my body. 367 00:25:26,960 --> 00:25:33,720 So you need to also attend the holy sacraments of the body and 368 00:25:33,720 --> 00:25:36,440 blood of Jesus Christ, our Lord and our Savior. 369 00:25:37,320 --> 00:25:42,040 And once the period is over, you continue, continue to live in 370 00:25:42,040 --> 00:25:45,080 that holiness. Yes, we may fall, we may drop 371 00:25:45,080 --> 00:25:48,600 the ball, we may stumble, but hey, nothing is holding you back 372 00:25:48,600 --> 00:25:51,040 to come back and fast one more time. 373 00:25:52,240 --> 00:25:56,960 Beloved, what the battles I was talking about of food testing, 374 00:25:56,960 --> 00:26:01,200 God and glory wonders of the world were the temptations that 375 00:26:01,200 --> 00:26:07,160 Satan in his trickery, in his dare attempted Jesus Christ. 376 00:26:07,440 --> 00:26:12,680 But Christ overcame and Christ hammered Satan. 377 00:26:12,960 --> 00:26:17,440 We have that power especially during this period of time and 378 00:26:17,640 --> 00:26:21,040 continuing and extending for every day of our life. 379 00:26:21,040 --> 00:26:23,600 Praise and glory be to Jesus Christ our Lord now and that all 380 00:26:23,600 --> 00:26:25,240 times and forever. Amen. 381 00:26:52,140 --> 00:26:54,140 We hope you enjoyed this week's message. 382 00:26:54,220 --> 00:26:57,420 Please don't forget to rate and review this podcast and share 383 00:26:57,420 --> 00:27:00,740 with your friends and family. For any future topic suggestions 384 00:27:00,740 --> 00:27:04,180 or to give us detailed feedback, please visit our link in the 385 00:27:04,180 --> 00:27:08,620 show notes. Linktr dot EE forward slash 386 00:27:08,660 --> 00:27:11,580 double edged sword. Until next time, God bless you 387 00:27:11,620 --> 00:27:11,860 all.