Sanctifying The Fast

Quid autem est aliud sanctificare jejunium, nisi jejunii causa sancta velle, justa facere, iniqua vitare? Sanctificat ille jejunium, cujus cor adulatio potentum amicorum parentumque gratia, clientum etiam parva magnaque munuscula a recti tramite non avertunt. Sanctificat jejunium suum, cujus justitia cor non vilescit. Sanctificat ille jejunium, qui flammas saevientis iracundiae mansuetae mentis placabiliate restinguit. Sanctificat jejunium, qui lascivientes oculos turpi ab aspectu habenis castitatis avertit. Sanctificat jejunium, qui conviciorum jacula, scuto patientiae repercussa dispergit. Sanctificat jejunium, qui litigantium tumultus pacifici sanitate sermonis, et linguae prudentioris arte compescit. Sanctificat jejunium, qui consurgentes in semetipso vanarum cogitationum spinas evangelico sulcante vomere, velut quidam pectoris sui arator excidit. Sanctificat jejunium, qui inopias egenorum pro quantitate substantiae suae miseratis manus humanitate solatur. Apprime sanctificat ille jejunium, qui praeceptis divinae legis intentus, diabolica a corde suo respuit tentamenta. Et ideo, fratres carissimi, si volumus Deo placita exhibere jejunia, simus in corde fortes, in judiciis justi, in amicitia fideles, in injuriis patientes, in contentionibus moderati, refugimaus turpiloquia, adversus iniqua constantes, in conviviis sobrii, in caritate simplices, intter subdolos cauti, condolentes tristibus, contumacibus resistentes, in suspicionibus paci, inter maliloquos taciti, inter humiles coaequales. Si hujusmodi virtutibus nostra voluerimus sanctificare jejunia, tribuente Domino, ad festivitatem paschalis gratiae, et ad gaudia coelestium promissionum, indubitata fiducia et conscientia laetiore veniemus. Sanctus Maximus Taurinensis, Homilia XXXVII De Jejunio, Quadragesimae I Source: Migne PL 57.307a-308b

For what else is it to sanctify the fast, but to desire a holy cause for the fast, the doing of what is right, and the avoidance of wickedness? He sanctifies the fast whose heart is not turned from the right path by the praise of powerful friends and the favour of parents, and even the small and great gifts of dependents. He sanctifies the fast whose heart is not averse to righteousness. He sanctifies the fast who extinguishes the flames of savage anger with the appeasing meekness of the mind. He sanctifies the fast who turns lascivious eyes from foul sights for the sake of chastity. He sanctifies the fast who wards off the shafts of abuse with the protective shield of patience. He sanctifies the fast who stills the storms of disputes with the good sense of peaceful words and a prudent tongue. He sanctifies the fast who rips up the thorns of vain thoughts rising up in himself with the plough of the Gospel, as a ploughman of his own heart. He sanctifies the fast whose hand from the resources of his own substance kindly gives comfort to the poverty of the wretched. Above all he sanctifies the fast, who intent on the commands of the Divine law, spits out every temptation of the devil from his heart. And therefore, dear brothers, if we would exhibit a pleasing fast to God, let us be strong in our hearts, righteous in judgement, faithful in friendship, patient amid suffering, composed amid disputes. Let us fly vile speech, stand against wickedness, be sober among guests, innocent in love, cautious among the deceitful, a comfort to those who weep, an opponent of those who are contumacious, forgiving to those who suspect us, silent amid ill speaking, equals among the lowly. If we have sanctified our fast with such virtues, offering it to God, so we will come to the feast of Paschal grace, and even to the joy of the promises of heaven, with a secure confidence and a more joyful conscience. Saint Maximus of Turin, from Homily 37, On Fasting, For the First Sunday of Lent

Fasting And The Devil

Ubi enim Dominus quadragesimae jejunium indefesso illo virtutis suae agressus est documento, mox diabolus occurrit pugnaturus dolis, quia jejunanti viribus obsistere non valebat. Quantum enim crapulationi deditis dominatur et ebriis, orante timet tantum, tantum refugit ille jejunos.dicente Domino Non ejicitur nisi in jejunio et oratione. Sed qua fraude diabolas tentare ausus sit, audiamus: Si Filius Dei es, dic ut lapides isti panes fiant. Audistis quid de jejuniis ipse sentiat, et judicet inimicus, Si Filius Dei es. Videtis quia jam non hominem, sed Dei Filium credit, quem liberum a ventris conspexerat servitute. Sensit, sensit diabolus jejunium cunctis virtutibus anteferri. Joannem viderat urbium delicias, squalentis erermi habitatione mutasse, mollitiem carnis vestis asperitate calcasse, agresti cibo mundi totam frenasse luxuriam, et, quod solum deitatis insigne est, hominibus dimisisse peccata. Et tamen non ei dixit Si Filius Dei es. At ubi Dominum vidit jugiter jejunantem. Proclamat : Si filius Dei es. Errat diabolus, qui contra Dominum astutue suae nequitias et argumenta jaculatur. Si Filius Dei es, dic ut lapides isti panes fiant. Quid est quod jejunante Christo Deitatis signa tota in sola panis promissione perquirit? Et quem Dei Filium continua jejunii significatione praesentit, esse Dei Filium de provisione panis de cura ventris desiderat approbare? Si Filius Dei es, dic ut lapides isti panes fiant. Quare non dixit: Si Filius Dei es, dic ut homines, aut angeli, aut aliquid aliud fiant, sed dic ut lapides isti panes fiant? Signum panis petit, qui signum jejunii pertimescit. Signum panis petit ut jejunii tremendum sibi refugiat signum. Panem malus ingerit consultor ut virtutem mutet ut propositum violet jejunantis. Sanctus Petrus Chrysologus, Sermo XIII, De jejunio et tentationibus Christi Source: Migne PL 52.227a-229a

When the Lord had entered on a fast of forty days, which is a timeless lesson of virtue, the devil came swiftly to oppose Him with his wiles, swiftly because he cannot prevail against those who have fasted. Indeed he easily rules over those who give themselves over to feasting and drinking; he fears only prayer, he flees only those who fast. But what deceit the devil dared attempt, you shall hear: 'If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.' You hear what he said and how he judged Him: 'If you are the son of God.' You see that already he does not deem Him a man but the Son of God, He whom he sees freed from the servitude of the stomach. The devil knows that fasting precedes every virtue. John saw the delights of the city and changed them for the trials of the desert; he trod down the softness of the flesh with adversity; with rustic food he put a bridle on the rankness of the world, and by what alone is the mark of sanctity he cleansed men of sin. And yet not to him did the devil say, 'If you are the Son of God.' But when he saw the Lord entering upon fasting he did declare, ' If you are the Son of God.' Then the devil erred, for with his all his cunning he demanded a wretched proof. ' If you are the Son of God, let these stones become bread.' Why would it be a sign of divinity for the fasting Christ to make bread? And would not the Son of God prefer the continuation of the fast, or would He rather approve the desire for the provision of bread for the care of the stomach? 'If you are the Son of God, speak that these stones become bread.' Why did the devil not say, ' If you are the Son of God, speak that you create men or angels or something else,' but rather 'Speak that these stones become bread?' He seeks bread who fears fasting. He seeks the sign of bread who would trembling flee the sign of fasting. An evil counsellor would heap up bread that he might suppress virtue, that he might destroy the very idea of fasting. Saint Peter Chrysologus, from Sermon 13, On Fasting and The Temptations of Christ.

Lenten Combats

Accedentes ergo, dilectissimi, ad Quadragesimae initium, id est, ad diligentiorem Domini servitutem, quia quasi ad quemdam agonem sancti operis introimus, ad pugnas tentationum animas praeparemus; et intelligamus quanto studiosiores pro nostra salute fuerimus, tanto nos vehementius ab adversariis impetendos. Sed fortior est qui in nobis est quam qui adversum nos est, et per ipsum validi sumus, in cujus virtute confidimus; quia ob hoc Dominus se tentari a tentatore permisit, ut cujus munimur auxilio, ejusdem erudiremur exemplo. Vicit enim adversarium, ut audistis, testimoniis legis, non potestate virtutis; ut hoc ipso et hominem plus honoraret, et adversarium plus puniret, cum hostis generis humani non quasi a Deo jam, sed quasi ab homine vinceretur. Pugnavit ergo ille tunc, ut et nos postea punaremus; vicit ille, ut et nos similiter vinceremus. Nulla sunt enim, dilectissimi, sine tentationum experimentis opera virtutis, nulla sine probabtionibus fides, nullum sine hoste certamen, nulla sine congressione victoria. Vita haec nostra in medio insidiarum, in medio proeliorum est. Si nolumus decipi, vigilandum est; si volumus superare, pugnandum est.   Sanctus Leo Magnus, Sermo XXXIX

Approaching, most beloved, the beginning of Lent, that is, a more diligent serving of the Lord, because we are entering, as it were, a certain contest of holy works, let us prepare our souls for fights with temptations; and let us understand that the more zealous we are for our salvation, the more vehement will be the assaults of adversaries. But stronger is He in us than He who opposes, and through Him are we powerful in Him whose strength we depend; because it was for this that the Lord permitted Himself to be tempted by the tempter, that we might be fortified by his aid being taught by His example. He conquered the adversary, you have heard, with testimony from the law not by might of strength that by it He might do greater honour to man, and punish the adversary more, by conquering the enemy of the human race not now as God but as Man. He fought then that we might fight after; He conquered that we might likewise conquer. For there are no works of power, most beloved, without the tests of temptations, there is no faith without proof, no contest without a foe, no victory without conflict. This life of ours is in the midst of ambushes, in the midst of battles; if we do not wish to be deceived, we must be vigilant, and if we want to win, we must fight. Saint Leo the Great, Sermon 39