Fr. Justin Parvu offers precious instructions to those who are seeking to keep a more disciplined fast according to the guidelines of the Orthodox Church. Fr. Justin (✝️2013) was a Romanian confessor in the Communist prisons, imprisoned for 16 years for his Christian faith.
Subtitles: English, Romanian
Video source: Apologeticum
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Fr. Justin Parvu:
At the beginning of the fasting period, my mother would take the dishes, the clay bowls, and put them in a basket and hung them in the attic and pick up the ones used for fasting [clean of oily and greasy traces]... including the wooden spoons, everything... everyone was fasting in the house...
But now: "Oh, no, my child is small, he cannot fast!"
He cannot fast, but he is the first for bad things!
It's not so important what you eat, it's very important how you eat this food... For example, you can eat non-fasting food but very little and balanced... and get up from the table still wanting to eat something more... Well, if we don't eat this 'extra piece' of food, then it means we fast... Or I had lunch at 12 or 1 pm and after half an hour I take another teaspoon of something, an apple, a chestnut, a banana, a biscuit... and so on, constantly...
Meal hours must be respected, must be strictly kept, at precise times, and between meals we shouldn't have snacks... it's only then when we feel the abstinence...
What is fasting? An abstinence... Like I said, you can fast even on Easter day, drink a glass of wine, eat 2-3 slices of... but, as the Holy Fathers say, a little from everything... and then you fast always...
And this is also the characteristic of the true Christian: to always be in a state of vigil, of watchfulness in all respects...
But there are still people who make use of these reasons of old age and weakness [fasting exemption], but they should know that it is to their detriment...
My dear, fasting is recommended by everyone, the spiritual world and the scientific world...
"Well, I can't fast because I'm sick... my liver, my kidneys, my heart..."
You should know that there is no disease caused by fasting, and there is no disease aggravated by fasting...
"The doctor tells me that I shouldn't fast, I'm not allowed to fast due to..."
Okay, but if this doctor is really a Christian and knows what balance means, then he will not tell you to eat meat and fat during the fasting season for your disease... But if he is a non-Christian or someone who has never experienced neither the disease nor the benefits of fasting... he will say: "You will not fast, you will eat!"
But if we let our doctor to save us... then our salvation is in danger... We should do according to our conscience and as the body dictates to us... As you educate the body, as you train it, this is how it behaves your entire life... You teach your body moderation, balance, then you can control it as you want...
I embrace you with all my love and wish you a most profitable Lent, for soul and body...
We all form the earthly hosts and together with the heavenly hosts we shout and say, "Lord, do what You want with us, but save us!"
