His
Grace
Bishop
John
Yazigi
Sunday
Sermon
Dean
&
Abbot
of
Balamand
March
17,
2002
Beloved,
in
these
days,
we
speak
about
fasting.
We
have
heard
today
the
Lord
Jesus
speaking
in
the
Gospel
passage
about
fasting
and
about
food.
What
is
fasting
and
why
do
we
fast?
Fasting
is
yearning
to
God.
By
fasting,
man
declares
that
he
does
not
live
by
bread
alone
but
by
every
word
coming
out
of
the
mouth
of
God.
Generally
man
holds
on
to
his
will,
to
his
desires,
pride,
power,
belongings,
and
passion
for
food.
He
does
not
want
to
let
go
of
all
that.
That's
why
fasting
is,
in
a
way,
this
hunger
to
whatever
heavenly
and
not
to
whatever
earthly.
It
is
like
saying,
we
are
abandoning
a
little
of
whatever
earthly
and
perishing,
and
holding
on
to
whatever
is
heavenly
and
divine.
The
hymns
we
chant
in
this
holy
period
speak
of
fasting
and
describe
it
in
many
ways.
For
example,
speaking
of
fasting,
the
prayers
of
this
morning
declared
that
the
field
for
practicing
virtues
has
been
opened
to
us.
Fasting
is
a
field
for
practicing
virtues.
The
time
has
come
for
starting
the
spiritual
struggle.
Fasting
is
a
period
of
spiritual
struggle
in
which
man
is
invited
to
rid
himself
of
vices
and
run
after
virtues.
My
beloved,
man
fasts,
ceasing
to
eat
meat
and
all
dairy
products.
However,
this
is
not
what
fasting
is
all
about.
Every
human
being
is
made
up
of
a
body
and
a
soul
and
he
ought
to
give
his
whole
self,
his
body
and
soul,
to
God.
Fro
this
reason,
man
fasts,
striving
by
the
grace
of
God
to
stay
away
from
sin,
idle
talk,
hatred,
pride,
evil
passions
and
all
weaknesses,
and
to
practice
more
love,
humility
and
every
good
work.
So
everyone
ought
to
struggle
through
his
body
and
soul,
striving
to
grow
in
grace
and
stature
with
God
and
man,
as
the
Lord
says.
Let's
remember
one
of
the
hymns
we
chanted
this
morning:
put
on
faith
as
a
shield,
almsgiving
as
a
helmet,
and
fasting
as
a
sword
that
amputates
from
the
heart
all
vices.
Yes,
beloved,
let's
try
to
arms
ourselves
with
these
spiritual
weapons:
faith,
prayer,
almsgiving
and
fasting.
They
help
us
amputate
all
vices
from
our
heart.
For
this,
the
church
invites
us
directly
before
entering
into
Great
Lent
to
remember
this
matter
and
persevere
in
prayer
and
fasting,
purifying
ourselves
spiritually.
In
this
way
we
will
not
be
fasting
only
in
body
ceasing
to
eat
certain
kinds
of
food.
As
St.
John
Chrysotom
says,
"What
good
is
it
for
us
if
we
cease
to
eat
meat
and
at
the
same
time
devour
our
brother
by
our
words?"
In
this
Great
Lent,
the
church
reminds
us
to
fast
in
a
way
acceptable
to
God.
This
way
involves
the
whole
man,
with
all
his
being,
heart,
mind,
soul,
body,
senses,
and
members.
This
is
the
way
taken
by
those
who
love
God
and
seek
Him,
desiring
to
purify
themselves
and
to
enter
into
a
closer
fellowship
with
the
loving
God.
He
was
crucified
for
us.
He
trampled
down
death
by
death
and
rose
again
to
raise
us
and
make
us
the
sons
and
daughters
of
light
and
the
children
of
the
Resurrection,
abiding
in
Him
in
His
kingdom
with
all
the
saints
who
were
pleasing
to
Him.
When
we
speak
of
fasting,
we
also
speak
of
the
Resurrection.
Fasting
is
connected
to
resurrection.
The
scope
of
fasting
is
the
purification
of
the
heart,
mind
and
body.
When
this
happens,
the
grace
of
God
fills
man
and
he
is
enlightened.
This
grace
raises
him
up
and
he
will
be
in
a
"resurrectional
state."
This
is
struggle
in
which
man,
as
a
bride,
seeks
to
give
himself
to
God,
pure
and
free
of
sin,
by
the
grace
of
the
One
who
rose
from
the
dead,
Who
is
blessed
and
glorified
forever.
Amen.