Lent: to Fast

 

Fasting is associated with Lent. We usually think of fasting from food — but there’s more:

 


“Let the hands fast by being pure from plundering and avarice. Let the feet fast by ceasing from running to unlawful spectacles. Let the eyes fast, being taught never to fix themselves rudely on handsome faces, or to busy themselves with strange beauties . . . Let the mouth also fast from disgraceful speech. For what does it profit if we abstain from fish and fowl and yet bite and devour the brothers and sisters.”

St. John Chrysostom (349-407)
from his Homilies on the Statues

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