A Warning about Fasting

Εἶπε πάλιν· Εἰ νομίμως ἀσκεῖτε νηστεύοντες, μὴ τυφοῦσθε· εἰ δὲ ἐπὶ τοῦτο αὐχεῖτε, μᾶλλον κρεωφαψεὶτε. Συμφέρει γὰρ ἀνθρώπῳ μᾶλλον κρέα ἐσθίειν, ἢ τυφοῦσθαι καὶ μεγαλαυχεῖν ᾽Αποφθεγματα των ἀγιων γεροντων, Παλλαδιος

Again father John of Thebaid said, 'If you lawfully exert yourself in fasting, do not be conceited; for if you glory in this, it would be better that you ate meat. It is better for a man to eat meat than to be proud and to boast.' Sayings of the Desert Fathers, Palladius of Galatia